Hers
by Aerolysia
Summary: Astra has only ever cared about one thing. Okay maybe two things but they always equaled the same thing. Saving Kara and Saving her World. When she can't do either she loses the will to fight. But years after arriving on Earth she finds Kara is alive and well. A lot of secrets are going to be brought to light. About herself. And about Kara . Little bit of nudity, changed raiting.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Been in my head for a while. Not sure yet if it will have romance but if it does it will be f/f if that's not your thing don't read. This will have elements of cannon but will definitely be au. I've hardly watched more than the first season and I don't read any kind of comics so if all the inaccuracies bother you I'm sorry. I completely understand the frustration people have when your reading about your favorite stories and all the facts are wrong. If it's going to bother you I won't be angry if you press the back button now. I wished often enough that someone had warned me about a few of the Mass Effect fanfiction I've read. If you're still going to read thank you and I'll try to update as soon as possible. I love likes and follows but I'm not going to lie, reviews make me update a lot faster. They are motivational and I'm grateful in advance for every one of them.**

This was **hers.** Something that had been taken from her. Something she had given up willingly, knowing she couldn't safely keep it while doing what it was she thought was necessary.

But it had been something that, in the end, she fought for. Knowing you would loose it, and allowing it to be taken from you were two completely different things.

The first time she had been unable to do anything. Too young to understand how to fight back, too obedient to disobey her father and husband.

When her father died and her husband was the one obeying her it was too late. Too late for the truth she so desperately wanted to reveal. The truth that would do more damage than good. She understood. She forced herself to understand. Her own ignorance and cowardice had cost her this.

It wasn't like she didn't have options. She threw herself into her work. Became the best Aunt and sister she could, even if not the best wife.

When she found out their world was dying she did everything she could to stop it. To save everyone she loved. To save Kara.

And then her sister had betrayed her. Had used Kara. **Her** **Kara** , to do it. She may not have been doing what was right in the eyes of their laws. But at least she wasn't hiding away. Pretending nothing was wrong while she knew millions were going to suffer and burn if they let the ignorance continue.

Kara was going to die and Astra had no idea, couldn't fathom, why Alura seemed to ignore it. Lie about it. She was supposed to be her mother.

In the end she had fallen for the trap. She had wanted to send Kara away. To a neighboring planet. The plans were all set. Non had even helped. Alura had to have known. Astra knew she wouldn't have been sent to Fort Rozz if Alura hadn't known. The blot that left on the judge's reputation, that her sister, twin sister, was a traitor could not have been good for Alura. And yet she hadn't tried to suppress it as their father would have, didn't try to hide Astra from the public's eyes. Because Alura knew Astra would take Kara if she didn't send her away. Because she knew Astra was right, it was Astra's right to see to her niece's safety. And she wasn't going to stop, if left on Krypton Astra would find a way to have the young girl sent away.

On Rozz Astra would be powerless, she would have no way to contact anyone. Not even Kara. And in the end Astra had watched the destruction of their planet with the heavy heart of someone who had known all along. And she had nearly died with the knowledge that Kara was gone.

It wasn't until the prisoners had overthrown the guards, set a course to a planet and discovered on that planet they had abilities, that Astra felt like she could continue to live. Felt like she could fine her purpose again. And now twenty four years after their arrival she finds out that Kara is alive.

That Alura sent her and Kal-El to the same planet they had landed on and Kara had been late. Seventeen years late. Kal had arrived only two years before them, he was a toddler when Astra discovered his existence and she had desperately searched for Kara. Sure in the knowledge that if Alura's nephew had been sent safely from Krypton surely Kara would have been to. But she had never found her.

Until now. She stared at the figure on the TV. The young woman standing on the wing of the plane they had been trying to take down and her heart squeezed. She couldn't breathe. She was grown up. But it was her. Astra had no doubt. But for once since they had crashed on the planet's surface she was unsure what her next step should be.

Somehow all her grand schemes to save this planet as she couldn't Krypton didn't seem the right path. She was second guessing herself, her motives and her morals.

And while she said nothing aloud, her husband knew. He had always known Kara Zor-El was the chink in his wife's near unflappable resoluteness. She made her weak and he had tried so long ago to get her out of the picture and succeeded. This time was going to be no different. If not for the girl he would have been ruling over Krypton. If not for Astra's unbending decision to save the brat they would never have been arrested. This time there was no Alura to send them away. There was only one girl capable of swaying his General's mind, and Non was not about to let that happen. He was going to control the world even if he had to kill Kara Zor-El to do it.

The pathetic humans didn't deserve the beautiful planet they we're destroying. And no child was going to get in the way of his plans again. Not even that bar sinister child. He didn't give a damn who her mother was anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

Astra watched Kara fly around the city saving people for weeks. She had her own responsibilities to the other Rozz survivors and she was trying to keep on top of those while she kept a close eye on the girl's heroics. Kara was making her proud. She was refusing to look away from the unjust and though she didn't take in the role of judge, jury and executioner, she did make sure they received proper punishment for their actions. Only Kara made sure that they were punished by the law, the human's law, and that had Astra questioning her intentions.

Astra didn't want to see another world burn, and while Earth was not as far gone as Krypton had been it was heading in the same direction. But she was beginning to wonder if the methods she had planned for the end of Krypton were necessary here. There were many other options available and the people of Earth were not in the dark or in denial about the state of their world. There were even a few groups committed to saving and protecting the world, a few government's that had passed laws protecting and restricting natural recourses. She just wondered if that was enough.

Non didn't seem to think so. He wanted to use Myriad. He thought their plan for Krypton would succeed here because humans were less advanced and they were powerful and intelligent, something humanity should follow and obey. He believed they should take their place as leaders of the world, he wanted to enslave the human race. They had fought many times over her plans after Myriad.

Astra wanted to achieve their goal, save the planet from destruction, and then release the human minds Myriad would enslave. Non fought with her on it constantly. She wanted a city, only a city, to focus on the problem; he wanted the world. And he had no desire to release the human minds after. He wanted to make Earth a refuge for any Kryptonians that could possibly exist in the universe. Astra had no intention of allowing him. She refused to enslave a race. It went against every moral she had.

Using Myriad went against every moral she had. On Krypton, with the end practically barreling at them, she had given in to his methods. They had killed people, something that had never been part of her goals. She had wanted only to save lives not take them. Non had said it was inevitable. She had let if slide, only because Kara's life was in danger and their government was doing nothing. Her desperation to save the child had allowed her to turn away from her conscience, allowed her to do what was necessary for their survival.

Only she was starting to think it wasn't necessary here. And she had Non breathing in her ear that it was; telling her the humans couldn't be trusted to do it on their own that they needed to step in. But every time she turned on the news she saw Kara. Her Kara flying around the city giving people hope and more importantly believing in the people.

Her Kara believed in the people. Astra wondered if that kind of belief, that kind of hope, couldn't have saved them. Empowered the people to stand up to their government and seek answers about the earthquakes and disasters that had so catastrophically heralded their end.

She sighed at the heavy thoughts and leaned against the sleekly curved window of her desert home. A home separate from Fort Rozz, something she had needed when they first arrived. Non refused to share it with her, not that she had been upset with his decision. He despised all things human and he rarely ever left the crashed ship. She enjoyed humanity. It was so different than Krypton. The architecture and landscapes fascinated her and her home had been built keeping both in mind.

It was remotely located yet had the best views of the red Nevada desert. It was worth all the work she had put in to create it. All the studying she had done to find a way to quickly earn the funds she needed to build it. She wasn't rich, but she had become adept at investing and had more than enough money to legally pay for her home and purchase most of the components for their plan. She had also managed to have legal documents forged. Non had refused her offer of doing the same for him. He did not want to assimilate into the populace.

She tugged her silky wrap closer around her body, troubled by thought of her husband. Non wasn't very agreeable to begin with but he was becoming increasingly exasperating since Kara's discovery. She knew why, he hated the girl, hated what she was and now he hated the very idea she represented. One day she was going to have to choose between her husband and Kara. She had made the choice before on Krypton and she'd been forced to choose him, she wasn't going to make the same decision again. She couldn't.

Her eyes scanned the horizon as the sun rose, bathing the beautiful red Rock and dirt in glorious reds and golds that reminded her aching heart of home. In the early morning she rose to this sight, it always gave her peace. Clarification. It was no different this morning. She shut her eyes and breathed deeply. "Thank Rao." She breathed softly, thinking of the miracle he'd bestowed upon her.

"Praise to Rao." Non echoed behind her. She turned slowly, opening her eyes and fixing him with a steady and cold gaze.

"What are you doing here?"

He cocked an eyebrow. She had never encouraged him to come, offering to share the residence had always been symbolic on her part. Neither wanted to share the space, though they separated on the reasons. Her glare encouraged him to answer. "General, the agents have captured Kar-Vel. They have taken him to their base at National City." Astra sighed irritably. That man had been key to their operation. He was in deep cover with the government and kept a crucial eye on the movements of the D.E.O. If he had been discovered somehow it didn't pose well for the other operatives they had within the military branches. It had taken patience and a lot of money to get those men in positions they needed. Loosing them so close the end game was a brutal blow.

"There isn't anything we can do." She told him quietly, sitting on the small window ledge that framed the picture window. She pulled the silk wrap closer when her husband's eyes made a quick appreciative trip down the length of her figure. She was beginning to wish she'd put on more than the short silky night gown. At least she had grabbed it's accompanying shawl on her way out of her room.

Non sighed in irritation, whether it was from her actions or words Astra wasn't sure. "So you want to leave him at the human's mercy." He demanded.

"Is he being tortured?" she asked calmly, already knowing the answer was no. He shook his head. "Then yes, we leave him. He is no use to us with his cover blown and if we mount a rescue we risk exposing more than just our numbers." She stood and turned back to stare out at the landscape. Her peaceful morning had been interrupted and the colors were no longer the soothing reds of Argo. "More than just our lives would be risked if we assaulted that facility."

Non growled. "Not this again." She tensed as he grabbed her shoulders. He didn't bother turning her to face him. "We have talked of this. The humans are not worth our concern. The planet is the reason for doing what we are doing, it should be our main priority."

"We will not risk innocent lives." She frowned at his refusal to understand. "We will not risk any lives unnecessarily, ours or theirs. Is that clear?" She felt his hands tense tightly before he released her and stepped back.

"Yes, General." She noted the reluctance in his tone but ignored it. As long as they followed her they would follow her rules, she felt slight comfort in the knowledge the others would not follow Non. He was not a leader and the others would fall to disarray if he removed her from power. "There is another matter."

"It is not your concern." She told him harshly, knowing full well what, or rather who, he was speaking of.

"She will not let us continue should she discover our intentions. She will fight."

"Do you expect our man will simply tell them all our plans? Had he not been loyal and trained?" She spun back around to confront her husband. Her eyes spit fire and the hatred he saw reflected in them cut him to the quick. If ever he needed a reminder of her true feelings for him he needed only bring up Kara. She could never hide the pain his part in that memory recalled for her.

"It is as you say, General." He said quietly.

"Then leave me be, I gave you your orders. Do nothing. And you leave Kara to me."

"Will you do what is necessary, should she get in our way?"

Astra's eyes didn't waver, the hatred didn't dim. "I will do whatever I think is necessary to see to the continuation of this planet. Of it's inhabitants and their way of life." She saw the muscle in his jaw flex again. "Leave." He nodded, bowed slightly with his hands behind his backs and walked briskly toward the exit.

She knew he was going angry, the rigid stance and barely restrained anger couldn't be missed. He had no right to tell her how to handle Kara. And no right to make demands of her. And she could tell he was beginning to lose faith in her, he had never questioned her commitment so openly before. She was losing his trust and he had already lost hers. She was worried for Kara's safety. Worried he wouldn't keep his word and leave the girl be. She wasn't going to be able to remain in the shadows much longer. Kara needed to know she was alive and she needed to make a decision about the future and what her actions were going to be.

She had the flight to National City to think about it.

A/N: I really don't like Non.


	3. Chapter 3

Astra flew around the city, staying well out or eyesight of the humans below her. She used her dark clothes and super speed to her advantage and kept to the shadows, avoiding any lit windows and the rare helicopter that passed by. She was searching for a sign of Kara, any sign. A flash of her blonde hair on the dimly lit streets or even the sound of her voice. In a city full of people milling about it wasn't an easy feat.

She would have tried to find the girl the human way, if she knew what her human name was or what field she had pursued. On Krypton Kara had inherited Alura's love of science, on Earth she had no idea what path Kara would have chosen. Humans were so far below Krypton on the science scale she couldn't see it challenging enough to keep Kara's unfaltering curiosity sated.

Though it had been so long since Astra had seen her…. Having been raised By humans for so long Kara could have become a completely different person. She wouldn't have expected Kal-El to grow up as anything but a human he had no experience with Krypton and the culture, she had kept tabs on him but she hadn't shown herself or offered any assistance in raising him. The closest she had come to him physically was when she broke into the Kent's barn to access his pod. And that had been useless to her. Kara though….she hoped Kara had at least tried to keep her heritage alive.

A bright laugh caught her attention from an apartment building close by and she swooped in for a better look. It was risky because so many of the windows were bedrooms and kitchen, focal points where people were more likely to glass out the window at the dark landscape. She felt it was worth it. The laugh had reminded her of home, it didn't sound like the childish laugh she remembered but there was just…just something that pulled at her heart. Something she had been waiting, hoping, for the past twenty-four years to hear.

She decided to try her x-ray vision. It was probably the safest and easiest method to searching the building, she couldn't very well peek in through lit windows that was a sure way to be seen. It didn't take her long to regret using x-ray though, there was a very large, very hairy and especially very naked man dancing and singing in his kitchen…..she was never going to un-see that. She shuddered and shook it off continuing her sweep of the building until she landed on a group of people settled in a living room on the fifth floor. They were all laughing, playing some kind of game, and there in the midst of them was her Kara. With the brightest, most sincere smile on her face. She looked so very beautiful and so happy.

Astra's heart ached at the sight and her resolve wavered. She had wanted to see her, talk to her, hold her tight and assure herself that Kara was real, that it was really her. But now that she was faced with it she wondered if it was someone else. If it was another refugee from their home planet. She had been so sure it was her Kara. And even if it was her little girl…would she want to see her. Astra had no idea what Alura had told her after her arrest. For all she knew Kara could have grown to hate her.

She sucked in a breath and shook off her nerves. It had to be her Kara. She could tell the girl was Kryptonian, she had called out the name of Rao when she lost a round. Even if she was wrong about who it was at least she knew she wasn't about to scare some innocent human. She glanced at the others littering the cozy living room. Well…she might scare a few anyway but it had to be done.

~K~

Kara was laughing heartily at Winn's face as Alex beat him again at the round of charades. Alcohol had been around the group and it was always funnier for Kara the tipsier the humans got.

No one was specifically drunk that night, though they would be calling cabs, in Winn and James's case and staying the night in Lucy and Alex's. She enjoyed Friday night game nights. Especially if there was no Supergirl duties.

She had grown to love being Supergirl, she took the good with the bad, but it had helped her learn to appreciate the down time she had on an entirely new level. She couldn't look at her small group of friends without thanking Rao for her luck. People that loved her and was willing to keep the biggest secret in National City, she couldn't have asked for more.

Winn lost again and cursed good naturedly at Lucy and Alex. Kara had to admit they made a good team, they had been beating the boys every chance they got, and they were merciless. She stood up and pointed to the kitchen, "I'm going to grab more snacks, when I get back it's me and you Winn against Alex and Lucy. Someone has to best the reining champs tonight."

Lucy smirked and winked at the blonde. James groaned but smiled despite his exclusion, "Everyone had ganged up on me." He complained with a grin.

"Dude you are trash at this game. How on Earth did you not get bike horn?"

"Man I didn't know what in the world you were doing. I thought you was having some kind of fit." They all laughed, Winn had made some funny gestures, he tried to pedal his feet in the air and had made pinching gestures with his hand. It might have been obvious to him but no one else could have figured it out.

"Bring me some of those chips, Kara." Alex called at the girl's retreating back. "Don't try to say your out I saw some earlier." She knew Kara so well, those were both their favorites and fights had often ensued in the Danver's house hold over who got to eat the last bag. Luckily for Alex Kara hadn't quiet got over the near death experience Alex had encountered with the plane.

Kara made her way around the cabinets, stacking snacks back on to trays to bring the short distance into the living room. She was humming an old Krypton lullaby happily and tuning out the rest of the party when she heard the words to the song being sung along with her hum.

She froze and the tray she had been working on slipped off the counter. It was surprisingly enough the food was now on the floor and wasted but everyone stopped and looked at her because there was no way Kara would have let it fall. She could have easily caught it all before it hit the ground, and her love of food would have encouraged her to try. The expression on her face must have caused them worry because they all tensed expecting her to tell them about a Supergirl emergency. Only she never opened her mouth and uttered a word.

"Hey, Kara," Alex stood up and moved over to her still sister. "Are you okay?" She reached out and touched the girls shoulder gently. Kara jumped and shook herself.

"Yea I just…I thought I heard something impossible." She smiled sadly and what she hoped was reassuringly at her sister.

"What was it?" James asked curiously.

"A…just an old song. I'd forgotten the words….just remembered the tune….I thought," She took a deep steadying breath. " I thought someone was singing it….Someone I knew."

Alex was rubbing soothing circles against Kara's back, she smiled at her in appreciation and moved to pick up all the chips and chocolate that had slipped off the tray. "Such a waste," she muttered darkly, easing the tense sad atmosphere and making them all laugh.

"Here you clean that up I think there is pepperoni and salami slices in the fridge. There should be crackers somewhere, we can have a picnic snack."

"Don't forget more beer," Lucy shook her near empty bottle at Alex and smiled slyly. Alex feigned a hurt look.

"I would never!" She said as if it were the worst sin she could think of.

Kara chuckled at the antics with everyone else but her mood had been dampened slightly, she felt melancholy and she missed home keenly. She wished on every star she knew that the voice hadn't just been a figment of her imagination, a memory from past bedtimes. She would give up anything to see her Aunt Astra again.

~K~

The Kryptonian in question was cursing herself as she flew to the highest point in the city and threw herself a top it. She had chicken out. The General….leader of the last forces of Krypton, criminal though they may be, had chickened out at the prospect of being hated by her niece.

And she know knew it was Kara. She used to sing that song to her when she went to bed, any time she had visited Kara would ask for that special song. She hadn't even known she'd remembered the words until Kara had begun to absently hum it.

She stared up at the stars and wiped furiously at the tears that rebelliously fell from her eyes. Kara was alive, she was happy and she hadn't forgotten her or Krypton. It was bittersweet and problematic. Astra had to seriously consider her plans. She couldn't lose Kara again. And she needed to work up a plan to let the girl know she was alive, for good or bad Kara deserved to know the truth. About herself and their family.

 **A/N: Because I was confusing even myself I decided to clarify the time line to Kara's age. Clark arrived two years before the Rozz escapees. Kara arrived nineteen years after or seventeen years after Astra. So Clark found her pod when he was nineteen in my story. And the timeline has advanced seven years, so Kara is twenty in the fic, so seven years since her pod landed. It's a pretty big difference from the TV show but I just couldn't imagine even an Aunt not contacting her niece for soooooo many years and allowing strangers to raise her. And since to my understanding Rozz arrived around the same time as Kara well…..I needed there to be a viable reason Astra didn't go searching and trying to find her. In my fic she did but I don't think it says the same in the tv show**.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:This was so hard to type. I went into three different room, one was even the bathroom for a bath, and still no one would leave me alone. If not the kids then my girlfriend and they all wanted to talk. I hope it make sense.**

Kara found herself sitting a top CatCo that night. She didn't know why she didn't feel comfortable in her own home, it had nothing to do with the loud obnoxious snoring coming from the two humans curled up together in her bed. Honestly it didn't, she always thought it was cute when they drunk so much they ended up snuggled together for what they called 'drunk comfort'. And they were close enough friends that there was no awkwardness in the morning, when Winn and James had done it there had been a hell of a lot of awkwardness. Mainly from them, Kara still didn't understand all the ins and outs of romance or why it was more women that had no problem showing each other their love, platonically or romantically. The tough guy act just confused her.

It hadn't been like that on Krypton. At least not with her friends or her father. He had showed his affection openly. Both for her and her mother and he often hugged his brother and told him he loved him. She wondered now if that was normal or if it was a child's adoration coloring her memories of him. She remembered openness, his joy at discovering anything and everything new. His devotion to every task and title he carried. Scientist, Father, Husband; he did his best at them all and as a child he had seemed perfect. He was Kara's real superhero. And he didn't even have powers.

She remembered he had been a scientist working for planetary defense, him and Kal's father. He had been gone a lot, both him and her mother, with duties. She smiled wistfully at the memories. When they came home it was always an affair. They went camping and explored all the red rocked landscapes and lakes they could find. He taught her so much about science, and not just the aerospace engineering they taught children her age in school. He taught her about their planet, and how it should be respected from the atmosphere to the core. She missed his excitement. She hadn't met any man on Earth her entire time here that could measure up to his passions for what he loved.

She leaned back and breathed out a heavy sigh. She had compromised a lot when she arrived. A partner was something she wasn't going to compromise on. She wanted someone that loved her like he had loved her mother. Only….human guys were a little behind in the maturity department and it was difficult to expect that kind of commitment when you couldn't be honest with them. It had left her lonely, it hurt to see Lucy with James, he was perhaps the closest she had ever come to finding someone she was attracted to, someone her father might approve of. He was just as passionate about photography as Zor had been about science. But James had Lucy and Kara's feelings for him were confusing to say the least. When she fell in love she wanted to know immediately, like her mother said her parents had.

She had gotten teased so much on Krypton, as a young child she had told anyone that would listen about her nightly bedtime story. No one had taken her seriously, none of the adults anyways and the children only made fun of her. Falling in love wasn't really how the houses did things. They were paired for alliances, love was unnecessary, sex was even less so. Birthing matrixes were the primary source of children in the houses.

But Alura had let it slip one night that Kara had not been a child of the matrix. She had only been six at the time and she had been sick with fever but she remembered her words clearly. She had though Kara would die and she had told the story to make her feel better, to encourage her to hope. Likely Alura had thought the fever would cloud her eidetic memory but Kara hadn't been delirious enough to forget…..

"Kara love you have to be strong and fight. Like your mother fought for your father. Like he fought for her." Alura's breath had tickled the golden locks on her head, and though her eyes were closed with illness Kara had been awake and listening. She loved the way her mother always turned the story into an epic tale, as if it hadn't only been her and Zor, as if it had been more than her father standing up for what he wanted and who he loved. It made it all the more romantic when Alura told her he had chosen her mother over a better alliance. She loved the story of how they met and how they overcame the obstacles the families put in their way. As Alura told it , it was like a knight riding into battle, fighting off suitors and winning her heart and Kara's grandfather's favor. The reality had been vastly different but to a small child it was like a real life fairy tale, something she could take pride in.

"It was so hard Kara," Alura continued, softer than Kara had ever heard. She didn't make the voices or embellish any of the usual fighting. It was almost as if she were lost in the memory of it. "No one understood love. It wasn't beneficial to the houses, it was looked down on and discouraged. But that didn't seem to matter, when you love someone like your father. He wouldn't give up, wouldn't allow the Houses to dictate his love, he listened to no one. Not even when Astra tried to- when she tried to speak to him... His love for you when he found out about you…" Alura had trailed off sadly. Kara remembered peeking out so she knew she wasn't asleep, so Alura would continue, she wanted to hear more about her father, more tales of his bravery. She wanted all the details, especially her favorites. Hearing how her father went to her grandfather and demanded he accept her parents love. How he single handedly best off every suitor and returned every bribe sent his way. How his conviction swayed her stubborn granddad and allowed them to wed. But her mother didn't notice her small gaze, she was crying softly and looking away out the window.

"Momma?" Kara coughed violently as she rasped the word out. Alura cried harder and leaned over her to rest her head against Kara's hair. Her hair tickled, but she had said nothing. Alura stroked her cheek gently and whispered soothing words until the spasm had stopped. "Its okay mommy, I'm going to get better." Kara had been proud she was able to say it strongly and without triggering another coughing fit. "I'll be strong and brave just like daddy."

Alura had taken a shuddering breath and the stroking had stopped. "You're just like your father was, Kara. And you have your mother's beautiful spirit." Kara had smiled, happy to hear how alike she was to her mother and father and despite wanting to hear more of the story her eyes were drooping. "He loved you so much, he was so surprised so excited when he discovered you were going to be born. Everything he did from then on out was for you, my love." Kara had been to tired to question but she didn't understand, both parents had to give permission for a child to be born. They had learned that in school, but it was common knowledge to House children. Her father couldn't have been surprised by her birth, he would have been there to watch her creation, he would have put in his D.N.A himself….

She had asked later, when her parents were both in her room and happy she was feeling better she had asked him about it. He had given Alura a strange look and they had explained how she was born like some of the Houseless. How she shouldn't tell anyone, not even her grandfather.

If anything it had added to the love she felt for her father. He could have abandoned her and her mother but he hadn't.

KARA stared up at the night sky and let her feet dangle over the side of the building, trying to shake off the memories of her parents. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go home, back to her apartment filled with snoring humans.

She was feeling increasingly homesick. All because of that song. She cursed herself for not looking, for automatically assuming it was a voice from her past. It was impossible that she be alive. Her mother's twin sister….it wasn't possible, only she and Kal had survived. Kara was sure if her Aunt Astra had survived she'd have found her, she'd have looked for her before Kara arrived on Earth. She wouldn't have spent so long off course in the Phantom Zone.

But she was sure….sure it had been her voice. Though Alura and Astra had always sounded similar….Alura couldn't sing. But Astra…..Astra used to sing her lullabies and tuck her into bed any night she was home. Which was surprisingly more than her own parents. As much as Kara had loved when her mother snuggled with her on the bed for a story she loved snuggling with Astra and listening to the songs more. She felt slightly guilty about it now that both women were gone. Somehow…Kara felt she missed Astra just a bit more when she'd arrived. It had been her she called for when fear set in and the sounds were alarmingly loud…..

Perhaps Astra had found a way to follow….just before the explosion. Hope made her chest flutter before she shoved it back down painfully hard.

Kara shook her head, blonde hair whipping around her in her disbelief, slightly damp in the night air. No it hadn't been her, if anyone would have come with them it would have been Kal's mother. Or her own. Astra was an important figure in the military she wouldn't have abandoned Krypton in it's greatest time of need. Not even for Kara.

She stood and shot off so hard she was sure she cracked the concrete. She would worry about that later right now she planned to fly around the city as fast as she could until her mind felt clearer and her body fatigued. Kal swore that was as good as any therapy.

 _ **Twenty six years ago, minutes before the destruction of Krypton:**_

" _This isn't right." Zor gazed sadly at his sister-in-law. "They are just babies." She turned and buried her face in her husband's chest after Kara's pod fell out of their sight._

" _Kara will keep him safe."_

" _Kara is just a child, Zor." Alura said quietly before she rushed over to the nearest console. He followed her quickly._

" _Alura we swore we wouldn't abandon the people, we would share in their fate because we did nothing to stop it. Where is the justice if we go back on our word." She glared at him, she remembered her word she was a judge she would not break it, even if it meant her death. Which is was starting to look like it would._

 _The others had made their way to them now. Lara pulled away from her husband and placed a comforting hand on Alura. She made no move to stop her, only her eyes shared the hopeless sadness they both seemed to feel. Alura had a plan though, one she had decided on when they all agreed to smuggle their children off world. They would not be going alone._

" _I'm not preparing a shuttle. Not for us. But I am sending them someone…." Zor leaned over and got a better look at the console. But so did Lara. She gasped. Jor moved her aside and stared down, he didn't interfere, he said nothing only looked to his brother for guidance._

" _Alura those are criminals! You can't send them with our children." Lara protested trying to reach around the men._

" _Not them…." She said angrily, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Not all of them were criminals. Some tried to save our world, they shouldn't share in our disgrace."_

" _There is no way to send Astra alone Alura. The damage the others could do…it would be irreparable."_

" _I am only unlocking her cell and sending the ship coordinates to send it to Earth. Only Astra will be free." She wouldn't let him stop her, her eyes told him as much, but she wanted him of all people to understand why she had to send Astra after Kara. Why she couldn't let her twin sister watch the destruction of their planet from a jail and believe Kara to be dead. "She can decide who to release from their fate." Zor said nothing, he wasn't sure he trusted Astra's judgement after everything she and Non had done but he also did not want Kara to be alone on a strange world with an infant to watch over._

" _But…"_

" _Kara…Kal-El they don't….." Alura sighed unable to put her feelings and worries into words. "We can't just abandon them like we have the trillions of other Kryptonian children. Already we have been selfish, given an opportunity to send our children off with the prospect of a future. But they will embody an entire civilization. Don't make them do that alone. Don't make Kara do that alone."_

 _They all stayed silent, unsure of her decision but unable to offer an alternative. "We can't just send anyone to watch over our children." Lara said weakly._

 _Alura turned the full force of her grim stare on her best friend. "I know. I'm not sending just anyone. Astra has a reason for wanting to look after Kara, I'll only ask her to add an infant to her duties. There is no one I'd trust more with Kara than Astra." She paid them little more attention as she worked to deactivate her sister's, and only her sister's, cell. She composed a short explanation and fed it to the ship, along with an apology and the news that both children left the atmosphere safely. Already the planet tremors were making it hard to stay on their feet. She knew she didn't have long to complete her task or the children would be alone._

" _Except her mother." Jor said finally, sadly, as he looked to his wife. "I know we decided this was our penance. But we should have sent one of you."_

 _Zor placed his hand on his brother's shoulder firmly. "Astra will look after Kara as if she were her own." He shared an unreadable look with his wife. "We will just have to trust her to protect them on Earth as she protected Kara on Krypton."_

 _ **Present:**_

Astra sat at her bar idly listening to the TV. News about Superman, it was always news about him, she supposed their would be more about Kara now that she had come out as a Superhero herself. Her eyes caught the latest edition of CatCo magazine and she cursed.

She suddenly tossed the glass tumbler at the wall, taking grim satisfaction as it smashed into thousands of sharp little pieces.

She cursed her sister. Cursed her timing, her inability to act. She had saved Kara. Something Astra had given up hope believing. But she still couldn't forgive her. She had always thought if Kara had survived she could forgive Alura anything, everything. But she couldn't. She hated her sister for reasons Alura couldn't have helped. She hated Alura for the first steps, for the first words, sick days, homework projects….birthdays…she just hated her.

She pulled the glowing pad toward her on the bar. Dragging it's advanced technology against the beat up dusty black wood. She clicked on the ships log and opened up the incomplete message she had received when her cell had released and allowed her freedom.

'I should have _**corrupt**_...We… _ **corrupt…**_ but the destruction of… _ **corrupt...**_ is imminent. _**Corrupt**_ …Kal-El … _ **corrupt…**_ sent to Earth. I'm releasing you and plotting Rozz …. _ **corrupt...**_. _**Corrupt…**_ safe. I'm sorry for everything.'

She threw the pad at the wall too. At the time she had known, in her bones in her very being that this was a message that Kara had escaped the destruction. The destruction she had seen from the windows of what had been her prison.

But when she arrived and couldn't find Kara….the corrupted message had taken on new meaning. Save the baby. Take care of the baby. As her resentment for his life grew she knew….she could not be the one to take care of the child. She was not a monster but when she looked at him she saw Kara's death. His life at the expensise of Kara's and she couldn't justify laying that blame on an innocent child. But she couldn't help her feelings either.

The Kent's had taken him in, she had left him with the intentions of returning for him when she had found Kara. But when she had given up the search, accepted Kara's death, she gave up little Kal-El. He was far better off with a human mother that loved him than with a Kryptonian surrogate that couldn't bare to look at him.

Early on in his life she had kept an eye on him, despite her resentment. Thankfully she had only been forced to interfere once in his life, but after she had left him be. He had grown into a young man, he had been eighteen the last time she had checked in on him.

She wished now she had kept better track of him. Supergirl's cousin CatCo had reported….he had known…somehow the infant that knew nothing of their world had found out about Kara's delayed landing and she had been left in the dark for the one thing she had been searching for her entire Earth life.

Astra picked up the alien alcohol bottle, a beautiful blue glass wear she had been saving for a special occasion. Strongest alcohol that had made it to Earth, and so rare. She upended the bottle and guzzled it down cleanly in seconds.

She hated alcohol….but when you fuck up like she had…well sometimes you just had to indulge until you forgot who you were…..until you forgot your past especially.

She threw the empty bottle against the wall to join the rest of the destruction, it didn't smash as prettily, the glass being stronger. She shrugged to herself and blew it up with her heat vision before finding another, this time a green bottle. She had no idea where it was from but it would get her just as drunk as the last bottle.

She tossed the remote at the button for the blinds and smiled sardonically at her precision. If she was going to get severely drunk the least she could do for herself is soak up the morning sun and keep the hangover away.

She stared at the CatCo paper again. Probably the only thing she hadn't thrown off the bar aside from the full bottles of alcohol that littered it. Kara was front page as Supergirl. She trashed the proud figure on the paper.

Kara….all grown up and still in the dark..

 **A/N: Okay so I don't think the secret is very hard to figure out but my girlfriend just can't seem to get it….she won't leave me alone about it. U guys gotta know where I'm going with this tho…. Right….**


	5. Chapter 5

Something hard hit her chest, waking her up from the peaceful dream and pulling her back into the stark disappointing reality that had become her existence.

She had apparently fell over beside the bar and decided the bed was too far in her inebriated state. She was glad she had opened the blinds because Non stood above her with his self righteous sneer and she knew she would have killed him if she'd had a hangover.

"What is this?" She picked up the object he had thrown on her chest. It was a mask, it matched their uniforms, which was to say their prison suits only a bit remodeled, perfectly. It was hard steel with eye slits and covered the entire face. It looked like something she had seen at a Halloween ball, only…..sturdier and a little more elegant. "Masks?"

She hated looking up to anyone, especially her husband, but she refused to climb to her feet. She hoped he would be gone soon anyway.

"Yes. Since Kara has arrived it's safe to say her pod did." Astra rolled her eyes at the obvious. "The pod your sister sent….it likely has the dossier of all the prisoners on Rozz. We wouldn't want to give the government an advantage." Astra stared at the mask in her hands. He was right, Alura would have included anything she thought Astra would need to keep Kara safe if the other criminals escaped. It was almost ironic since she had been the one to release most of them. "It will also hide your identity from Kara." Which was likely his true intention.

"Why could you never love her Non?" she asked sadly.

He stared at her angrily. "She is not my child." Astra only stared at him. "The-" he trailed off. She had known him too long to believe his lies. "I knew you loved her father. Even before we married, I knew."

"Then why did you marry me?"

"Because I love you." He all but shouted at her.

Her only response was to stare at him sadly from her position on the floor. They both knew she didn't love him. He had always known, her heart had belonged to another before they had even met. But he didn't like sharing what he considered his and he held on to her too tightly. Too possessively. She hadn't seen it on Krypton. Or maybe she had but was too numb from her loss to realize it's dangerous potential. It was too late to regret her decisions there, Krypton was gone.

"It shouldn't have mattered. She is your niece."

"I did not want a niece, Astra. I wanted my own."

She shook her head. "I will wear the mask. Instruct the others to do the same. It is a good plan." He nodded, just as eager to be done with the conversation as she was to end it.

"Then our plan to raid Maxwell Lord is still in effect?" She nodded. "Good I will prepare a team.

"Have you found the Hellgrammite?"

Non hesitated. "Yes…..he has only one source of food, it was not so hard to locate him. The D.E.O has also become interested in him, they have set up a trap to capture him."

Astra let the news sink in. He wasn't vital to their plans. Non had been against searching for him. He claimed it a waste of recourses, he believed the man would die out on his own. Astra believed the same but she was of the mind to keep all her people safe, and to understand why he had wished to leave they had kept his needs well met.

"Bring him to me before they capture him. I wish to speak. Perhaps he can be of use to us."

"I don't see how." Non protested irritably.

Astra finally stood and placed the mask on the bar. She leveled him with a hard stare. "If we can turn the trap for him around and get an agent alone we can interrogate them on this D.E.O. You may think the humans inconsequential but I do not. I would like to know what they know. What kind of weapons they have in their hands."

Non spread his arms wide, looking more like the arrogant fool she considered him to be. "What weapons could they have that could hurt us. Here with the yellow sun we are invincible."

She regarded him quietly before sighing. "We are not gods, Non. Don't let your pride and foolishness blind you to the true goal."

He sneered but nodded. "I will do as you ask." He turned his back on her and glanced over his shoulder before he left the room. "You should let go of the past Astra. They are all dead. My brother….your sister. They are dead. We are alive. I am alive."

~N~

Non was furious when he left his wife. He didn't see what the bug could do for their cause but Astra was General. What she said went. It didn't mean he couldn't insert his own plans into the mix. He had been watching Kara closer than Astra. He knew she had family, a weakness. And unlike his wife he was willing to use that weakness.

He knew where the bug was. And he knew just what to have it do for him.

~K~

Kara had been having a wonderful day…well after the initial disastrous morning. She had been saving snakes from trees, stopping robberies, lifting heavy things safely. She was really getting the hang of the superhero work. She was going to have to find a way to thank Cat for her advice without giving herself away.

Sure the D.E.O was still a little miffed at her but she knew it was going to take more than the mundane things to earn their trust, no matter how annoying it was for her. And she was still sore with Alex for kicking her ass and using Kryptonite on her but a part of her knew she was right.

She sighed and turned on her TV. A grin pulled at her mouth almost immediately. They were still showing her many successful feats. Many stations were still reporting on the tanker disaster but even they were now saying she might have some redeeming qualities. And of course CatCo was spearheading all the support. Cat had turned the broadcasting station into a regular Supergirl cheerleading team.

She was wondering where they got all the pictures of her from when her phone startled her. She had thought it would be Winn again, or Alex since she had mentioned she would call after work. She had never expected the news. In fact it took a few seconds for it to hit and her smile to fade. When it did she was off her couch and out the window faster than a speeding bullet. Angier than she could ever remember being.

~A~

Alex awoke to pain in both her leg and head. Her body was sore in it's entirety but those were the worst. She vaguely remembered a Hellgrammite talon or fingernail or spike or whatever it was getting embedded in the flesh above her knee. It hurt like hell.

She tried to pull herself into a sitting position but only manage to lift up onto her side. Her leg felt like pins and needles. She wondered if there was some kind of venom in those needles.

"Finally awake I see." She turned to the man she hadn't seen lurking in the shadows. His voice sounded muffled but she could make out where the was even in the darkness. "I wouldn't move around too much if I were you. It's not fatal, even to you pathetic humans, but it won't feel pleasant."

"Venom?"

The man moved forward into the light. It wasn't the Hellgrammite but she couldn't see who it was, his face was hidden behind a mask. His eyes practically glowed through the slits, she could see why his voice sounded odd they were the only holes on the contraption. It covered everything from his forehead to his chin, it didn't even have holes for the nose. Oddly all she could think about was how stuffy it must be. Ironic what thoughts filter through your mind when faced with death. Or torture.

"I said it won't kill you. Feels like your leg is asleep doesn't it….it'll spread the more you move." It hurt but thankfully the more she moved the more it hurt, the numb feeling was starting to disapate.

"Are you a Hellgrammite?"

She could practically hear the disgust in his tone when he answered. "No I am not a bug." Something else moved in the shadows to her right, the Hellgrammite hadn't gone far either she noticed. And he hadn't been pleased at the man's tone.

"Then what are you?"

The figure began circling her slowly. "I've come to lead. To bring Earth up from the ashes and make it new. Better."

The Hellgrammite shifted again. Alex tried to keep her eyes on both of them but with the man circling her it was impossible. She settled for watching the crazy one. He was obviously the one in charge anyway.

"There isn't anything wrong with Earth now." She berated herself for antagonizing her captor.

"Oh but there is." He was suddenly in her face, pulling her up by her vest so she could see her breath fog on his metal mask. "Humans." He told her before dropping her hard back to the dirty concrete. He went back to circling her. "Your like parasites. Cockroaches. No matter how many die, hundreds replace them. You make the land inhospitable. I've seen it happen before I won't watch it happen again. Krypton was destroyed because people couldn't see what was right in front of them. They were one of the most advanced civilizations in the Galaxy. You humans," he sneered, making his disgust with he species as a whole evident. "Your less advanced. You shouldn't be allowed to continue destroying this planet. You need someone better to lead."

Alex had to bite her tongue. It was always the crazy ones that wanted to rule the world. Very ambitious. It didn't help her situation if anything it hurt it, the crazy ones always had a quick trigger finger. She knew she had been taken for something but she didn't want to antagonize him and return to the D.E.O dead or in pieces.

If she held in long enough she could buy them some time. She was sure Hank would have told Kara and they would all be looking for her. A cursory glance around let her know her utility belt had been stripped from her but it hadn't been thrown far. If she could find a way to get to the radio in it she could signal her position.

"I wouldn't do that. I move faster than you." He had been watching her eyes, somehow able to see perfectly in the dark.

"What do you want from me?"

He laughed, it sounded hollow and fake. "I want nothing from a human. It's Supergirl I'm after."

"What makes you think she will come for me?" Alex tried not to let he inner panic show. She knew her sister was powerful, hell she could fly and stop bullets with her skin. Still Alex was the big sister and it was her job to worry about her. Having a crazy alien focused on her sister worried her more than anything.

"You're family. El mayarah." Alex's blood ran cold as he uttered Kara's family motto.

"You're from Krypton." He was gone before she could say anything else. She searched around for him in the darkness but seconds later saw the reason for his abrupt departure.

A flurry of red, blue and blonde landed a few feet from her. "Alex!"

"No, it's a trap!"

Kara turned to look around but was hit in the face by the alien. Alex struggled to her feet as she watched Kara being launched through metal walls and further into the darkness with the man flying right after her.

She was going for her belt when the Hellgrammite wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Where do you think you're going?" He growled into her ear. A quick head-butt let her loose but reminded her of the throbbing pain she had nearly forgotten about.

She could hear the battle going on around her. The smashing of concrete and steel. She was slightly worried the warehouse would collapse and kill her before the damn bug got a chance.

He was standing in front of her again, it had taken him a second to shake off the headache she was sure to have given him but he looked fine now, and very angry.

She couldn't move well and Kara wasn't going to be able to help if the sounds she was hearing was any indication.

~K~

"Who are you!?" Kara demanded as she countered a punch aimed for her ribs. Heat vision and flight was a dead give away that she was fighting another Krypton. And it hurt. They shouldn't be fighting they should be working together. "What do you want?"

He hit her square in the chest sending her backwards into a steel beam. It bent in half as her body slammed into it. He was stronger than her and it was apparent he hadn't shied away from his abilities like she had. He wasn't distracted by the fighting coming from Alex and the Hellgrammite either.

"All I want Kara Zor-El is your demise." That brought her pause. Her full name. Before she could ask how he'd known it he had delivered another hit, this time to her head. Her ears were still ringing, disorienting her when he wrapped his hand around her neck and squeezed. She tried to pull free but his grip was too strong, she regretted not taking Alex's lessons seriously.

"I've hated you since your birth. You can't imagine how good it would feel to finally be able to end you." He loosened his grip as she tried to speak.

"Who- are.." his grip tightened again cutting off her air supply.

He leaned in toward her, she could only see his eyes through the mask but she had no recollection of them. Surely if he had known her on Krypton she would remember his eyes, his voice, anything.

"I'm the man that's going to kill Supergirl." He lifted her higher holding her above his head, high enough for her to see the agents fanning out behind him.

"She won't be dying today. Put her down." She had never been so grateful to hear Hank Henshaw's voice. At least she knew she wasn't Alex's only hope of escaping alive.

Surprisingly she dropped to the ground as the man released her and turned to face the agents. She sputtered and coughed on the ground, waiting until the waves of dizziness passed before she climbed to her feet.

"Ah." He said in mock reverence. "The infamous D.E.O." If Henshaw was surprised the strange Krypton knew of their Black ops organization he didn't show it. "You have no weapons that could harm me." He nodded toward the guns trained on him and moved forward to grasp at Hank's neck.

Kara tried to climb to her feet, she swayed unsteadily. She knew she had to act, if his strength was enough to cause her lingering pain she couldn't imagine what it was doing to a human.

She needn't have worried. Hank had it well under control. Kara barely had time to register her sister catching her around the waist as she stumbled towards them when he had pulled out a green dagger and slammed it into the arm holding him.

The Krypton let out a quick yell and dropped him. With a quick scathing glance back at Kara's weak figure he took off with the dagger still embedded in his arm.

Kara shifted to support Alex's weight and took sight of her leg. "Are you okay? Your bleeding."

"Hellgrammite needle…talon…thing…what are we calling those?" She asked Hank fustraited.

"Doesn't matter. Where is it?"

"Dead." She breathed out leaning further on Kara. Now that the adrenaline had wore off she was back to feeling the pain.

"By yourself?" she relished in the admiration she heard in Kara's tone.

"Yea I'm a bad ass." She smiled before slipping into a cringe as she shifted wrong on her leg.

Kara noticed moving to support even more of her weight. "Can we get the bad ass some drugs and a Band-Aid?" Alex couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

"Yes of course, we have a team that will take you back to the D.E.O. I want a full report." He stared up at the hole left in the ceiling from the Krypton's exit. "I have a feeling whatever our friend here has planned it can't be good." Kara helped Alex out to the vehicle. She didn't voice her agreement but she knew he was right. He meant trouble for her even if he had no intention of harming civilians.

~N~

Non slammed the green dagger on the circular counter in front of one of his men. Astra was who no where to be seen and for once he was happy of her absence. "This punctured my skin." He showed the fellow Kryptonian the bloody gash in his suit. The wound had begun healing as soon as he had removed the blade but the fact remained that it had caused damage to begin with. And just being around the thing made him nauseated.

It apparently had the same effect on all the boy. He lifted it gingerly, examining it without touching the green blade.

"What is it?"

"That is our ticket to killing Supergirl." He took off his mask and turned back toward the exit. "don't breathe a word of this to General Astra. She still believes Supergirl won't hinder our cause." The boy nodded instantly and Non didn't doubt his loyalty. Still he was probably going to have to kill him afterwards, he couldn't have his plans getting back to Astra.

 **A/N: Okay so I've been annoyed with trying to fit this into the episode time frame and tonight I finally realized I have no idea why I'm trying to do that. This is my story and while I want it to follow a semblance of the series timeline I haven't watched all of the episodes of even the first season so...I'll try to keep it a little cannon but maybe now that I've remembered this is au and I already warned everyone I can get into the writing and less of the stressing.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Kara this wasn't your fault." Alex tried in a placating tone as the tech applied the sophisticated medical device to her injured leg. Kara had been pacing back and forth for the entire procedure and that was only after she had yelled at the director of the D.E.O in front of all his agents. She seemed to be really out of sorts and Alex couldn't really blame her. She had just had a very tough night, Alex had been hurt and she had been reminded of her mortality all at once. Not to mention Alex could now safely say I told you so. Needless to say Kara would be sparing with her as soon as she was back up to par. No excuses of powers could get her out of it now.

"He almost killed me. Even I need to breathe, and if I had died…he could have moved on to you. If Hank hadn't shown up when he did." She practically growled as she stopped to stare at her sister, arms crossed over the emblem on her chest. "I should have been in on it from the beginning I could have stopped them from taking you."

Alex coughed to get the techs attention and nodded her head toward the exit, he caught the hint and left without Kara even noticing. Alex reached out and was relieved when Kara gave in and took her hand, she pulled the girl over to the examination table and pulled her up beside her.

"The entire thing had been a trap for you." She met Kara's shocked blue eyes steadily. "That's right. And that man knew we were family, Kara. He knew your family motto back on Krypton and he knew we were related outside of you being Supergirl. If you had been there we might have both been taken, or worse. No offence but you were no match for him and I barely managed to take down the Hellgrammite."

Kara turned away from her and stared out the glass separating them from the bustling agents outside. "He knew my name too." She admitted quietly. "My Kryptonian name, my full name. He said he had hated me since birth. What could I have done as an infant?" Her voice was tight but she couldn't cry while wearing the S. It was only Alex in the room but the glass wasn't one way anyone could look in on them. She needed to project at least some semblance of confidence or no one would have faith in her.

Alex squeezed her hand to get her attention, once she had it she reached up and pushed back a loose strand of blonde curls that had made it's way into Kara's face. "You are an amazingly good person, Kara Zor-El Danvers. Anyone who has ever met you is lucky to know you on Krypton or on Earth. You see the best in people even when everyone else doubts them. I mean come on you actually like Cat Grant. How many of her employees can say that. No matter what anyone says of you I have never know you to hurt another person willingly." Kara chuckled lightly making Alex smile. "I will always be grateful Kal decided to leave you at my house to become part of my family."

"Even when I've put you in danger?" Blue eyes searched hers worriedly.

"I think I'm enough of a bad ass I can take care of myself. And even when I'm in a jam I know you'll always be there to help me out of it. It goes the same way. El Mayarah, Kara."

"I love you Alex." She hugged the human as tight as she could without damaging her.

"You better because I'm on desk duty which means I'm going to be eating pizza and sticky buns till I'm forced back on to active and have to watch what I eat again." Kara squealed in excitement. She always did love a good pizza.

Her expression dimmed again. "I have no idea what he has planned but I don't think it's going to be good, Alex."

"Ah it's just your usual psycho with powers after world domination. Typical Monday. At least now he will be more cautious now that he knows we have a way to hurt him." She gingerly climbed to her feet with Kara's help. She didn't voice her concern that the mysterious Kryptonian had taken off with a Kryptonite dagger. Now he had a way to harm Kara, and he had already proved he was more than capable of utilizing his abilities to his advantage. She glanced back at her sister. "When I'm back up to par your going to be training with me in the sparing room." Kara didn't offer a protest.

"It's a good idea. I think…I think I need some help with training my powers too. Any ideas?"

Alex thought about it as she found her balance and grabbed the crutch the tech had left for her to use. Advanced medical tech would speed up the healing process but it still hurt like a bitch to stand on it. "Just using them in a controlled situation is okay, and so is the other things you do as Supergirl, the not fighting alien things," she clarified. "But I think you need something to fight, something that can anticipate your actions and help you hone your skills. Something that can handle you sparing at full strength and using your powers."

"Kal is the obvious choice but…."

"He has his own troubles." Alex nodded. "Let me ask Lucy she mentioned having you test something for the military. Maybe it'll be what we need."

Kara hummed thoughtfully. "Hey Alex?" The brunette turned around awkwardly from the doorway. "Do you think… could mine or Kal's pod have anything on the Fort Rozz criminals? Could he be one of them? There could be more Kryptonians…it was our Max security prison after all."

"It's possible. We haven't been able to crack anything about it though, it's heavily encrypted. The techs say we need Kryptonian military codes. You know anything about those?"

Kara bit her lip and shook her head dismally. "I was slated for science guild. Like my father."

"Ill ask them to keep trying. Perhaps you can take a look at it anyway." Kara nodded. " I need to show you something. Something I've been working on, I think, well I hope you'll appreciate it. You mother left it for you but I only just got it up and running , it was damaged in your crash and then forgotten….anyways follow me." Kara perked up at the mention of her mother and followed Alex eagerly out of the med bay and down endless halls.

She led her to a sealed room, a palm scanner was the only way in Kara didn't see even a door handle. Alex place her palm on the device and the doors swished open. "It's set to recognize your hand as well but the AI doesn't really communicate with anyone else."

"AI?" Alex didn't answer she simply powered up the machine in the center of the room.

Kara gasped and stared at the likeness of her mother. "Mom," her voiced exploded on an exhaled as the AI's gaze focused on her.

"I am the likeness of Alura, your mother, yes. I am here to answer any questions you may have and to help you acclimate to the new world." Kara just stared at the image.

"Is it okay?" Both Alex and Alura watched for Kara's reaction in silence.

"It-its ok. Thank you." Her voice broke and she hugged her sister again.

"I'll go talk to Hank now, give you some privacy." Kara nodded gratefully and didn't look away even when she heard the doors swish shut behind her sister.

"You may ask me anything, Kara. I have been programmed to speak only to you and answer any questions pertinent to your successful integration into the Earth society."

"I can't think of anything to say." Kara admitted.

"Just ask me whatever you would want to ask your mother."

Kara took a deep breath. "I want to…" she hesitated and shook off her doubts. "I want to know if Astra was on Krypton when it exploded. If…if there is a possibility she is alive on Earth." She wasn't sure if she was right, if maybe her aunt had been off world and escaped, if maybe she knew Kara had been sent away before the explosion and she had come to Earth to find her. She wanted so bad to believe she had heard her that night in her apartment.

"Astra In-Ze was meant to accompany you. Your pod was damaged after the explosion of Krypton knocked it off course into the Phantom Zone. You were delayed in your arrival. She was meant to raise you and Kal-El on Earth."

Kara wiped at her tears. "Was she sent in another pod?"

"Astra In-Ze was imprisoned on Fort Rozz after her arrest for terroristic actions and attempted kidnapping."

Kara stared at her mother's likeness in astonishment. "Terror- what who did she try to-" Kara trailed off, remembering the last time Astra had come to visit her. The abrupt way her mother had pulled her sister out of the room and the unusual fatigue that had assaulted her that particular night. She remembered the headache she had the next morning and how both her parents were at her bedside asleep as if she had been desperately ill. Kara had a guard posted to her after that. She had only been ten but the guard had stayed until the week before her launch to Earth. "Me…she tried to take me."

"Yes."

"Why did she try to take me?"

"She feared for your safety if you remained on Krypton."

"But she was right to…" Kara muttered quietly.

"Yes she was. But her methods were drastic at the time."

"She was sent to Fort Rozz for trying to kidnap me. She was my aunt, your twin how could you not understand her fear. You sentenced her to Max prison for trying to protect me?"

"Astra was sent to Fort Rozz because of terroristic actions that resulted in the deaths of two Kryptonian guards and one Daxamite ambassador."

"I-I don't believe it. Aunt Astra always talked about saving our world for everyone. She didn't want to hurt anyone. She made it clear to me her job wasn't about hurting but protecting people." Kara went back to pacing.

"Their deaths was considered an accident and unplanned. Still it was considered an act of terrorism and she was punished within the law."

Kara exhaled sharply. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Astra had been responsible for deaths and trying to kidnap her, had been sentenced to prison.

"So who was messaging me all the time? Fort Rozz prisoners weren't able to communicate with anyone." Kara remember reading about the station one night. She had been curious about her mother's work.

Ninety percent of it was automated with only a handful of guards. It was also one way for communication. The guards got orders but until they left they couldn't communicate with family or friends. It was the same for the prisoners. Either they got released after serving their time or they remained in their solitary prison for their life. Which was horribly long in the Phantom Zone.

Alura felt it would be detrimental to your emotional well-being if Astra was to stop responding to your mail without reason. At the time she felt it was improper to explain the situation to you."

Kara wanted to rant about how unfair it was but she was an adult now hearing the truth for the first time. She felt betrayed yes, but as a child….maybe her mother had been right.

"Aunt Astra is on Earth. I heard her that night. I really-" she trailed off stunned with her own revelation. If that Kryptonian was from Fort Rozz there was a good chance her Aunt was in league with whatever he had planned. Her heart sank just as fast as the hope had risen within it. If she was right she was going to be forced to fight her Aunt. And what's worse, her Aunt was trying to kill her. How did the woman go from trying to kidnap her to trying to kill her.


	7. Chapter 7

Kara had been depressed for weeks. She couldn't explain it. She had felt it before, right after she landed and Eliza had helped her through it but there was no one to help her through it now. She couldn't tell Alex about it. Every time she tried the words just wouldn't come out. She didn't know how to tell her sister that her most beloved Aunt might be in league with the aliens she had been fighting her entire career with the D.E.O and that she was likely responsible for the near death experience they had just had.

What's worse was Kara didn't have concrete proof Astra was even alive and she didn't know what could have changed from Krypton to Earth. If Astra was part of the attack on her what had changed from her trying to save her to trying to kill her? Did Astra think Kara had been in on the trap set to capture her?

Kara hadn't been. She had been excited to see her Aunt that day. The woman had mentioned she had something big to tell her and Kara had been trying to guess what it was going to be all night. But when Astra had shown up with a special treat Kara had gotten so sleepy and Astra had taken her straight to bed. Now Kara realized she was drugged but at the time, at that age she hadn't suspected anything. Her parents hadn't been home and Astra always told her a story and tucked her in when they were gone and she visited.

Kara closed her eyes and leaned back to float with her face to the night sky. She had been floating in lazy circles around the city for hours trying to clear her head. Trying to come to grips with her feelings.

On one hand she was angry. Angry with her mother for using her, tricking her for so long with fake mail from Astra. But on the other hand she was angry at Astra for tearing their family apart. Why did she have to join a terrorist group and inadvertently kill people. All Kara's life she had preached at her to protect the innocent.

Behind all that anger was a deep sadness. She knew if Astra was alive she would have come for her when her pod crashed. If she was alive and she didn't….it was obvious Astra's feelings for her niece had changed. Kara wondered if she really blamed her for her imprisonment. If perhaps love for her couldn't have survived whatever Astra had endured behind the walls of Fort Rozz.

"Supergirl you there?" The microphone in her ear chirped with Alex's voice. Kara straightened in the air and pressed on the hidden device so she could reply.

"I'm here." If Alex had noticed Kara's recent mood she had been thankfully quiet about it. Kara knew she wouldn't be for long but she wanted to work through her feelings for her family on her own before she shared them. And she wanted proof her aunt was alive before Alex could sic the D.E.O on her.

"There is a robbery going on at Max Lord's. It doesn't sound like humans. We are en route. I figured you might want to meet us."

"I do." Kara turned and flew as fast as she could toward the tall skyscraper that was home to Lord's industry. She hated the man but that didn't mean she was going to let aliens steal his technology.

"My agents will have Kryptonite bullets so be careful okay." She could hear the worry in Alex's voice and somehow she didn't think it was Alex that wanted her on the mission. Alex had made it clear to her after the Hellgrammite incident that she didn't want Kara around Kryptonite weapons. Like Kara could avoid them, they sparred in a Kryptonite room for Rao's sake. Despite the warning she was proud that Hank was finally giving her a little more responsibility, no one else could order her sister to call her in. She was grateful he was finally starting to trust her, he wasn't an easy man to please, though she had to admit he was fair.

"I'll be careful. Just tell them not to shoot me." She joked lightly, trying to put as much of her usual pep into it as possible.

"Not funny." Alex complained.

"Well not if they shoot me." She agreed. Kara could hear a few other agents chuckling on the same frequency.

"Don't worry, Agent Danvers, is killer with target practice. We got good aim." One promised her. The others obviously agreed about the killer target training.

"If you shoot Supergirl target practice is the least of your worries. I'll let you be the civvies in the next roomie training exercise."

"We definitely won't shoot Supergirl." Kara couldn't help but chuckle. Whatever that had meant was obviously terrifying to them.

"I'm here." Kara could see the aliens scattered about defensively inside, she relayed their position to Alex and tried to use her x-ray vision on the rest of the building. Not surprisingly the lower levels were obscured by lead lined walls. She really hated Max Lord. "They are all wearing masks, Alex. It's the same ones that attacked us….well shit." They were either Kryptonians or just had super hearing because every head turned in tandem toward her when she got closer. Two took off after her and she was forced to circle the building to keep away.

"Supergirl?!" Kara vaguely wondered how Alex always remembered not to use her name when they were in situations like this. She would have screamed out Alex for sure and blew her cover the first fight if their roles had been reversed.

"I'm fine just get here, there are a few two many for me to handle alone." She admitted. It became obvious after a few seconds she couldn't outrun them. Her training with Alex would help but she hadn't been able to train for fighting while flying so Kara quickly lowered herself inside the building. If there was going to be damage from a super fight she wanted to do her best to keep it contained to his building. He could afford the repairs.

Surprisingly however none of the men attacked. They circled her, kept her contained, but they made no move to engage. Not even the two that had forced her to land.

"What are you doing here?" She kept her tone confident despite being out numbered.

"We crashed." One of the men growled at her. She barely stopped from rolling her eyes at his sarcastic comment.

"Here at Lord's labs." He didn't really need the clarification.

"We are taking something back that was stolen from us." Kara turned toward the voice. The man from the warehouse was coming up from the labs below. The ones she couldn't see into. He was carrying a large lead lined metal case. The kind that people cuffed themselves to in movies.

"You're the ones stealing." She protested. She could hear the vehicles squealing to a stop and she expected the aliens to make their move as the agents streamed in with weapons trained on them. They didn't seem to care. But they didn't know about the Kryptonite bullets either.

"Drop the case and surrender peacefully." Someone demanded. Kara wondered if that ever really worked.

"No. I don't think I will. Good to see you on your feet again Danvers." He addressed her sister arrogantly. "I will enjoy breaking the bones myself."

Alex glared at him. "Drop it asshole."

"Make me." Kara didn't like his tone. He knew they had the knife, she had seen Hank shove it into his arm. He knew the humans had weapons to use against them. Kara didn't like his confidence at all.

The man waved his hand and the aliens around them rose into the air. At Alex's signal the agents opened fired….and nothing happened. The bullets bounced off of them. The agents stared in apprehensive shock.

Laughter echoed in the large lobby. "See you shouldn't have let me keep the knife. We are more advanced than you." Their leader tapped the glowing blue device on his shoulder. It must have been something to keep them impervious to Kryptonite. Kara wondered just what kind of technology they had to have made something like that so quickly on Earth. "You are very lucky our orders were clear. We get what we came for without bloodshed."

Kara's ears perked up. She had assumed perhaps he was the one in charge, if it wasn't him…. "Who gave those orders?" Kara caught his gaze while moving herself to stand between him and the clustered human agents. They had grouped back around Alex now that they knew their weapons were ineffective, though they hadn't retreated.

"That's not your concern Kara Zor-El." He said her name like a curse. Spit it out in his obvious hatred. "We leave." His men took off, each in different directions so they would be impossible to track together. They likely had a plan to avoids Earth's satellites it wasn't going to be that easy to find their home base.

"Alex Danvers." The Man called over his shoulder as he lifted easily into he air. "When next we meet I'm going to drive a dagger through your heart." Kara growled and leapt into the air after him, ignoring Alex's protests.

"Your not getting away that easily." Kara told him. He said nothing, he threw the case in the air and Kara barely blinked before another swooped in and took off with it.

"Your mother killed our planet." He told her hostilely. "She ignore all the signs, imprisoned those that would do what it took to save it. She imprisoned her own sister. Astra died there." He lied, making Kara flinch from the news. He took off his mask and tossed it down at Alex's feet. The humans all had their weapons trained on him but they were useless and he knew they wouldn't risk hitting the vulnerable superhero.

"Uncle Non." Kara sank down to the floor. She couldn't imagine him lying about Astra. She hadn't seen him much, even as a young child, but his love of Astra had always been so obvious. She sank down to her knees and shook her head in disbelief. "Your lying. She isn't dead." He only laughed. It sounded bitter and cold.

"The guards and prisoners tore her to pieces! Alura Zor-El's twin sister! The very image of the woman that put them all there, your mother sentenced her to death and she knew it!"

"Kara." Alex kept her gun trained on the man but moved closer to her clearly distraught sister. She had never heard Kara mention Astra before but it was very clear the woman had been dear to her.

"No." Kara refused to believe it.

"Yes. You can't escape the truth. Your mother took everything from Astra. Her freedom, her life… she even took her child." Kara stared up at her uncle in shock. Astra didn't have a child. Surely her mother wouldn't have sentenced her to prison on Fort Rozz pregnant.

"All because of you. Because Astra loved you." Kara shut her eyes on the tears she could feel there. It was too much. She couldn't handle being the very reason her Aunt had been caught and subsequently killed.

With a cry of pain she launched herself up and into her uncle so hard she cracked the concrete floor with her ascension. He took the blow easily despite his surprise and slammed her in the roof of a nearby building.

~A~

Alex was calling in backup, for what little good they would do, and instructing her men to swap out their Kryptonite rounds for regular bullets. The best they could do would be distractions until the helicopter showed up with the missiles. Even those wouldn't do too much damage to a Kryptonian.

She wasn't surprised to see Kara able to keep up with the man she called Non now. Kara had really taken the training seriously and despite flying she was doing a fairly good job countering his blows. Still he was stronger and had far more experience. Alex watched on fearfully as she kept an eye in the sky surrounding them for signs of the others. She had been far too surprised by their numbers already. And something about the entire situation felt too rehearsed. It felt like a trap. Alex felt so helpless watching the fight from the ground and it was a hell of a fight.

~N~

Non was surprised at Kara's new found strength. He also knew it wouldn't save her. Getting her angry, knocking her off balance had been his goal. He needed to study the way she fought and he was scoping out the humans, trying to figure out if they had any other weapons capable of damaging them. It was she coming increasingly obvious by their uselessness that they didn't. He only wished he had brought the dagger he was going to use to end his darling niece's life. He would have liked nothing more than to plunge it into her chest.

"Do you feel guilty I wonder?" He taunted while avoiding the right hook she sent his way. She was clumsier in the air. He made a mental note as he slammed into her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and spun around, using the momentum to launch her into a billboard some thirty feet away. She immediately got up but he could tell she was about to break. He fight had been all emotional rage. Grief was quickly replacing that.

He avoided a few more of her hits and took a half assed kick to the chest. Once he righted himself he raced towards her and grabbed an arm. He was stronger than her and she couldn't get free. She tried to swing her free arm around and hit him but he only grabbed it to and pressed it against her own chest as he flipped her around and jerked her into his front.

"I am going to kill you. Maybe not now, I will give you time to mourn the loss of Astra. But then I'm going to kill you. And the rest of your pathetic excuse for a family." Something in Non's ear buzzed, Kara couldn't make out what it was even with her advanced hearing but he launched her away and took off like a shot through the air.

She landed gingerly next to her sister and rubbed her wrists subconsciously. They were bruising. She had never bruised before. "Are you alright?" The other agents were moving back to their vehicles. A helicopter was now circling overhead. The eyes in the sky as they completed their retreat, their mission having been a complete failure.

"No…I.." she couldn't explain the depth of her grief. She had just been given hope that she still had family, that Astra had lived. That maybe she hated her and was trying to kill her but that she was alive. Now even that small glimmer of hope had been busted up. And instead of her Aunt leading the Kryptonian terrorists it was her estranged Uncle. An uncle out for revenge.

Alex hugged her tightly. "We will talk okay. Just not here." Kara nodded. Not everyone at the D.E.O had clearance to know about their family dynamic. They couldn't talk about Astra surrounded by agents and Kara couldn't afford the break down she knew talking about it would cause.

"I'm….I don't feel….I'm going home, Alex."

Her sister nodded and watched quietly as Kara shot off into the air in the direction of her apartment. Alex was going to get the agents back and head straight to Kara's apartment. The girl may have been made of steel but her emotions were not and her little sister definitely didn't need to be alone tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

Kara was dreading Alex's arrival. She knew she was coming. Alex wasn't going to let what she heard slide and she was going to know Kara wasn't in a good place right now. Being the amazing sister that she was she was definitely going to stay the night and do anything and everything she could to make Kara feel better.

But Kara didn't want to feel better. She wanted to wallow in the misery she was feeling, finally just allow herself to break down. She knew she couldn't. But she wanted to.

She took a deep steadying breath when she heard Alex on the stairs and made to fix them both a cup of hot tea. It didn't take long for the hesitant knock on her door. She honestly debated not answering it, but then Alex had her own key. And she wasn't above using it.

Kara opened the door and smiled tightly at her sister. "I put some tea on." She told her quietly and moved back to sit on her couch, she just didn't seem to have the energy for anything else.

Alex ignored the tea, a quick glance at Kara's kitchen told her the blonde hadn't remembered to even turn the kettle on so she wasn't worried about it. Instead she followed Kara back to the couch and wrapped her arm around her from the side. She pulled on the girl until she gave in and leaned against her older sister. Alex didn't even have to say anything for the dam of emotions to let lose behind Kara's façade.

Alex soothed her with comforting words as best she could and gentle strokes on her back. She didn't try to get Kara to stop crying and she didn't offer platitudes her sister would know where false. She just let her get her pain out the best way Kara could.

"I..I thought she was alive. Here on Earth." Kara finally calmed enough to speak though she was sniffling and burying her face in Alex's shoulder muffled the words. "The AI told me mom sent her here to raise us. And I thought…" Kara didn't need to finish. Alex knew what Kara had hoped for. Someone to share in the loss of her world and culture the way Kal-El never could. "I should have known when she told me she sent her to Rozz. Aunt Astra killed people, an accident or something. And then…then she tried to get me off world. That's how they caught her I think. She couldn't leave me behind."

"Hey, it wasn't your fault." Kara shook her head against Alex.

"If she had just left me. If mom hadn't….she had to have known how the other inmates would feel. They were identical." Kara hiccupped and pulled away to look at Alex. "She answered mail from me to Astra, she never told me what she did to her. Why did all of this have to happen?" Kara demanded. She knew no one had the answer. Anyone that could have answered her questions was dead.

"I thought she was trying to kill me. That she might be in league with Rozz, that she blamed me for getting sentenced there. But it's Non. He hates me because I killed Astra."

Alex leaned in close to Kara's face and grabbed her chin. She knew the girl could pull away but it didn't stop her from pulling on her until she looked her in the eyes. "It wasn't your fault. If your Aunt loved you enough to come for you despite being a fugitive, in spite of the risks, then she wouldn't have blamed you when she got caught. She made choices, just like your mother. Their choices are why you are alive today. You don't have all the facts, I doubt your Uncle told you everything that happened. Please don't tarnish their sacrifices by blaming yourself for something you had no control over. They wouldn't want you to be miserable."

Kara jerked away angrily, though she was still careful not to break Alex's fingers. "You don't know what they wanted, neither do I, they all died Alex." Alex said nothing, knowing it was the grief talking. Kara stood up and made her way to the window. For a moment Alex was worried Kara meant to leave by it.

Instead Kara stared out at the city of people she had come to love and who had come to hope and trust in her. "I'm sorry. I didn't really mean that." She didn't turn around as she said it.

Alex moved over to her and wrapped her arms around the slim waist from behind. She leaned her head on Kara's should and squeezed her tight. "Let me stay with you tonight. You shouldn't be alone." Kara made to protest but Alex cut her off with a pinch. She doubted Kara even really felt it but it got her attention anyways. "We are sisters. You would do the same for me." The blonde couldn't argue with that.

~K~

Kara woke the next morning with Alex wrapped around her like a koala. She groaned and shoved at the woman gently enough that she didn't go soaring across the room but hard enough to make Alex let go and roll over. She loved when her sister slept over but the woman slept like the dead and Kara had to work.

"Kar?" Alex sat up sleepily and rubbed at her eyes. Kara nearly laughed at the sight she looked so adorable. So far from the bad ass agent she actually was.

"I've got to work today. You can stay in bed, your off right?" Alex flopped back down onto the pillow without responding. Kara chuckled quietly, the agent was back fast asleep before Kara's feet even hit the cold wood floors.

She took a quick shower and dressed in a baby blue cardigan that Alex said made her eyes pop when she wasn't wearing her glasses. Breakfast was a quick bowl of dry cereal and milk but she knew she was going to grab sticky buns from Noonan's so she limited herself to one bowl. It only took about an hour for her to be up dressed, fed and out the door. And that was without super speed.

She was very grateful to have extra time before having to go into CatCo. Since they knew her at Noonan's the cashier waved her out of line and put in her usual order. The benefit of having Cat pay a small fortune to them every month for her coffee cravings.

She sat at her usual table while she waited for them to fix her order and watched the people milling about on the street. Parents were out with their kids even this early, she hadn't realized it was a weekend. She still had to work because Cat was going to be at work but the office was going to be pretty empty.

She frowned, she was going to have a lot of time to focus on her own thoughts with no one else to speak to. On the weekends she mostly took notes for Cat and went over the next week's layouts. That never took very long, she stayed until Cat went home every time but she usually ended up watching the older woman work on whatever it was she was doing. Kara didn't have quite that much to do on her own, not on a weekend when there was no one to get layouts and edits from. And she was too good at her job to have work leftover from the week.

"Kara." She blinked startled and looked up at the cashier holding out her bag and a cup holder of drinks. "I wasn't sure if you were in a hurry today." She explained passing the items on to Kara.

"No I was going to stay but I think I'll go instead. Ms. Grant is probably already there anyways." The girl nodded and waved her off. Kara was sure Cat wasn't at the office. She always beat Cat to work, most people did actually as Cat waited for Carter's school to start so she could drop him off before coming to work. On the weekends she stayed home the same amount of time so she could have breakfast with him. Kara loved that about her. It was so obvious she loved her son.

Unfortunately thinking about Cat and her son made her miss her own parents and she ended up fighting tears most of the way to CatCo.

Thankfully the only employee that worked the weekends besides herself and Cat was the security guard. He let her in without commenting on her less than chipper attitude and she took Cat's elevator straight up, a luxury she was only afforded on the weekends when no one was around to see the special treatment. Cat didn't like people to know she cared.

Kara set the bag and drinks on her desk and let herself into Cats office. She made her way to he balcony and climbed up on the rail. She couldn't fly because she had to work but this was the next best thing. It felt freeing swinging her legs off the balcony rails and watching the world go on around her. It took her a few minutes to realize her head was hurting, she rubbed at the foreign sensation but she wasn't worried enough to call Alex about it. When she first arrived the overload on her senses had given her a tension headache. Just because she was a super powered Kryptonian didn't mean she couldn't feel pain. And she had endured enough stress the last few weeks to merit the pain.

"Kiera!" Kara jumped in surprise, startling the older woman behind her enough for her to reach out and grasp at her shirt.

Kara appreciated the effort but doubted Cat could have stopped her had she taken a tumble off the balcony. She was about to turn around and climb down when Cat yanked her suddenly and she toppled over and onto the cold hard cement floor. Back safely inside the balcony.

"What the hell were you doing?" Cat demanded harshly moving to tower over her. Her hands were on her hips but her stern expression was ruined by the trembling of her bottom lip.

"I was enjoying the view." Kara told her, completely perplexed by the panic she saw in Cat's eyes. Her eyes flew open in sudden realization and she clamored to her feet. "Oh. Oh! Ms. Grant no, no I wasn't going to jump." Technically she could have but…well Cat wouldn't know she wouldn't get hurt even if she did.

Cat closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to visible calm herself and salvage what image she still had. She willed her hands to stop shaking.

Kara waited patiently for the woman to collect herself. When Cat opened her eyes again it was very evident she was angry. "If you weren't going to jump what the hell were you thinking climbing up like that. Do you realize what floor we are on. You could have fallen…"

"I- well you scared me. I didn't hear you come up." Kara usually wouldn't have argued with her but as depressed as she had been she didn't need people thinking she was suicidal. Especially not people who didn't know her secret. She didn't want any codling or funny looks.

Cat closed her eyes again and grabbed Kara's hand. "Inside now." She demanded. Kara let the human drag her inside, where Cat pointed her at the couch and forced her to sit. Cat left her there and moved to the bar. She cursed when she realized she didn't actually have any alcohol. Kara had done away with it all and added M&Ms. It didn't usually bother her but coming in and seeing Kara perched on the balustrade nearly gave her a heart attack. So did the little jump when she had said her name. Cat was sure Kara was going to pitch right over.

"I need a drink." She mumbled. She glanced back toward the blonde watching her every mood. "Get up. Come on. We are going out."

"But we…" Kara pointed to the desk. "We have to work."

"Working is a privilege we don't need right now." Cat wasn't waiting she was halfway to the elevator already. Kara glanced at the sticky buns she'd left on her desk forlornly before she rushed to keep up with her boss.

"Where are we going?" she asked when Cat hit the button for the elevator and the doors closed behind them.

"To drink."

Kara's eyes widened. "Its eight on a Saturday, there are no bars open."

"Yes there is." Cat took Kara's hand again as they left the elevator. Kara was too stunned to say anything and let the C.E.O lead her wherever they were going. Cat pulled her phone out and sent a text to her driver with her free hand. She forced them to wait in the lobby until he pulled back up to the front. Evidently he hadn't been far they didn't wait five minutes before he pulled up.

Cat was pulling her once again, Kara flashed the stunned security guard a nervous smile and wondered what the office gossip would say about this come Monday. Cat didn't seem to care as she shoved Kara into the car.

"Where are we even going?" Kara stuttered as she scooted over to make room for Cat.

"Home, Bernard." The Man nodded and waited patiently for them to buckle up before he merged into traffic.

"Why-" Kara was cut off by a furious glare and they rode the rest of the way in an uncomfortable silence. At least it was uncomfortable for Kara, Cat still seemed a bit angry.

Cat told her to sit still when they pulled into the parking lot of her penthouse apartment. The older woman climbed out of the car without waiting for the driver to opened the door, something he was rather surprised about. The woman practically stomped her way over to Kara's side and pulled the door open. Kara barely got her seatbelt off before Cat was pulling her out by her hand. She didn't let go again even when they made their way to the private elevator that led from the parking garage to the penthouse.

Kara was tired of the stony silence as they made their way up and tugged her hand free from her boss. " What is this? I said I wasn't going to jump but you're treating me like I'm a child. Like you don't believe me."

Cat harrumphed and glared at her. "If I didn't believe you we would be at the hospital checking you into a psych ward."

Kara glared at her and crossed her arms over her chest like she did whenever she was annoyed. Cat's expression soften slightly and she sighed. The doors to the lift opened and they stepped off into Cats entry way. She fumbled around a bit until she pulled out her key but she hesitated to open the door. She turned back to face Kara.

"I do believe you." She told her quietly. "But tell me how would you feel if you saw someone you care a great deal for about to fall off of a thirty story building." Kara appreciated she didn't say jump and she was a little stunned that Cat admitted she had feelings much less that she cared about Kara. She hadn't realized just how shook up the woman was.

"You haven't been yourself lately and for a second there I thought…well I'm not sure my brain was working." Kara reached out and tugged the human toward her. She hugged her as tightly as she could.

"I'm sorry." Cat didn't pull away. Instead she wrapped her arms around Kara's strong shoulders. "I really wasn't going to jump."

Cat sniffed and pulled away. She wouldn't look at Kara. "I know that. But your always so happy and lately you've been spacing out and when you think no one is looking you look so sad." Kara was amazed at what Cat was admitting to her. "You- you mean a lot to me, and if you ever try and repeat that I will deny I ever said it, but your as close to a daughter as I've ever got."

Kara sniffled herself. "Thank you."

Cat nodded and collected herself. She gave Kara a stern determined look, " This doesn't change anything at work."

"No- yes I mean no. I get it."

Cat nodded and put her keys in the door. "Then for the love of God I need a drink."

Kara followed the woman in the gorgeous apartment. She was slightly afraid she would break things. And of course everything looked ridiculously expensive. "Uh… Ms. Grant I can appreciate you wanting to drink on a Saturday morning but…do I have to be here for this?"

Cat glared over the kitchen island while she climbed on to a stool to pull down wine glasses. "Yes. You are going to stay right here and we are going to work and drink from home." Kara could deal with the working but she hated the taste of human alcohol, and she didn't get the fun buzz that came with it. She was about to protest when Cat threw her for another loop. "And for the next few hours I want you where I can lay eyes on you."

"I- uh… okay." Kara took the glass of red when Cat offered it and sipped it politely. Cat headed for another part of the house and motioned for Kara to follow her when she suddenly turned around and grabbed the wine bottle off the counter.

"This is coming with us. I have a spare laptop in my office you can use."

"Right…." Kara sighed. As lovely as it was too know that Cat cared she was feeling very vulnerable. She had thought to burry herself in any work she could find at the office, at Cat's home her options for distractions was limited.

Cat showed Kara to the desk she had set up for Carter so he could do his homework while she was working. "Use this. It has Carter's games on it but it also has the office memos and programs. You can access your computer from work if you check the list. I'm not sure how exactly you do that but I'm sure if you call With he can tell you."

Kara had no intention of calling Winn. She didn't have anything to finish anyways and had no real reason to link to the office computers. She sat down at the desk and pulled up hers and Cat's email and scanned through them at human speed. She needed to drag what little work she did have out.

They worked in silence for a few minutes before Kara noticed her headache again. She absently rubbed at her temples and leaned her elbows on the desk. Even her eyes hurt and there was a really strange feeling in her stomach she couldn't place but was sure it wasn't hunger.

Cat sighed after a few minutes and took off the large rimmed glasses she had been sporting. "You have a headache."

"Uh…yes?"

Cat rolled her eyes and pulled a bottle out of the top drawer of her desk. She threw it at Kara. "Take that." Kara eyed it skeptically. She didn't think it would work for her. "Drink the wine. It might help too." Kara was pretty sure you weren't supposed to mix medicine with alcohol but she didn't it so she couldn't say for sure.

She made a show of pretending to pour out a few into her hand and take them. She took a large gulp of the wine and was surprised at the immediate wave of dizziness that assaulted her. She blew out a breath and rested her head on her arms folded on the desk.

"Kara are you okay?" She heard Cat stand up and make her way over to her. A gentle hand was placed on her back.

"I'm so tired, Ms. Grant."

"Do you need to rest? I have a guest room."

"No I'm not that kind of tired." Kara lifted her head and looked out the large windows that overlooked the city. "I….I'm having issues with my family."

Cat watched her quietly. "Your foster mother?"

Kara turned back to Cat a little surprised Cat remembered she was adopted. She never really thought the woman paid attention to anything she said. Cat was surprising her all the way around this morning.

"No. My Uncle is in town. We don't get along." It was all Kara felt comfortable saying.

"Then forget him Kara. And don't let him cause you so much grief. You are a strong amazing young woman. If he can't see that he doesn't deserve to be in your life. He surely doesn't deserve to affect your mood as he has done." Kara nodded, she appreciated the sentiment but it wasn't that easy. Non wasn't really her issue, it was the past that bothered her. The situation between her mother and aunt.

"I think…I think I will go rest Ms. Grant. If you really don't mind." Cat nodded and moved back to lead Kara into the guest room.

"Ill wake you up in a few hours. If your feeling better we will go over the work I had planned out for us. I want to throw a gala. In honor of Supergirl." Kara nearly groaned at that. She just barely caught herself. Cat was being super nice right now she definitely didn't want to mess that up. She knew come Monday morning the woman would be back to her usual prickly self. Cat was only being nice because Kara had scared her.

"Thank you." Kara slipped off her shoes just as Cat shut the door. She sighed heavily and tossed herself into the soft bed. She pulled off her glasses and pulled the sharp pins from her hair without thought. She was asleep seconds after her head hit the pillows.


	9. Chapter 9

Kara dreamed of endless halls separating her from her family. The windows along the stone walls were nothing but holes allowing the red sun to filter in through their opening and bathe the long narrow space in Rao's warm crimson light. It would have been comforting except the more she ran toward her family the farther away she got. But she wouldn't give up. She ran and she ran until suddenly the hall with her family was gone and she was standing in an overgrown courtyard instead.

There was a path behind her, no walls only a roof above it. At the end of each side was a door. One was blue, it led to a large concrete building with no windows. The other was fire red, it too led to a concrete building but it had windows and she could make out a fire raging within. She knew she had to make a choice. Red or Blue.

It wasn't even a choice. As much as the wild fire frightened her, fear of the unknown kept her from choosing the blue door. Whatever was inside could be far worse than the fire raging inside that building.

She moved over to it and put her hand against the door frame. It was hot but not so hot she couldn't open the door.

Pushing it open revealed an empty room. The fire burned surrounding a path. The path led to a large fountain. It's water poured onto the ground and evaporated rather than puddle on the stone ground.

She moved cautiously over to it. It was green, not the beautiful water she had expected to see. She dipped her hand in it anyway and watched in fascination as the ripples spread out across it's surface.

An uneasy feeling creeped up on her. Almost like she was being watched or something horrible was about to happen. She knelt down and crawled under the space between the fountain and the floor. It was a tight fit but the curtain of water falling down would hopefully obscure her from prying eyes. She hoped at least.

She was surprised to realize she wasn't even wet despite having crawled under a fountain and through a ton of water. She was tugging at her jeans in surprise when the fire disappeared and a pair of shinny black shoes came out of an unseen door. They echoed across the stone floor with every step and they filled her with a sense of dread. She couldn't figure out why.

She tried to stay quiet as they made their way around the room. First they approached the window, she assumed whoever it was looked out because they stayed there for a few minutes. She thought maybe they would leave after and perhaps she wouldn't be caught but the fire started back up hotter than ever and the fountain water seemed to stop as his feet turned in her direction.

She held her breath as he got closer. He walked around the fountain once before coming to a stop right in front of her. She knew. She just knew he was going to bed down and see her. She squeezed her eyes shut before decided if she was going to meet her end she would do it with her eyes open.

Just as he was leaning down to spot her the scene changed, the room was no longer in flames it was bathed in a cool blue light and a beautiful woman was bending over holding a hand out toward her.

Kara was stunned. Nearly too stunned to take the offered hand.

~C~

Cat heard Kara mumbling in her sleep before she even made it to the door. She couldn't make out the words, not because they weren't clear but because she couldn't understand the language.

She knocked on the door hesitantly. "Kara." She made a mental note to remember to use the work name when they made it back to the office. She couldn't afford to look like she gave a damn in the office. She couldn't do anything to appear weak. It hadn't been easy to get where she was but she was damn well going to stay there.

She knocked again and pushed the door open when she didn't hear any response. Kara had quieted but she was tossing and turning on top of the covers. Her work clothes, that Cat never approved of, were rumpled worse than usual.

What caught her attention was the hair. It was scattered all around Kara, spread out all over the pillows and it was beautiful. It was also familiar, but it wasn't until she noticed the lack of glasses that Cat connected the pieces.

She gaped at her assistant, her heart skipped in her chest as the revelation hit her. Kara was Supergirl. Her meek and brilliant assistant was flying around National City saving people and fighting aliens. It was the biggest story of her career and she had no intention of publishing it.

Unsure of what to do with the new information she stood transfixed in the door way. It wasn't until Kara started to toss and turn, her expression pained, that Cat acted.

She was weary of touching the woman since she could very well harm her if startled. Waking someone from nightmares was always troublesome if you weren't sure how they were going to act.

"Kara. Kara you need to wake up. It's a nightmare." Cat tried everything from shaking the bed to shouting before she roughly shook the girl by the shoulder. Kara cried out but she didn't wake. "Oh for the love of-" Cat moved into the bathroom quickly and filled up a glass of water. Which she promptly returned to the bedroom and upended on the sleeping woman.

Kara sat up in shock, sputtering water out of her mouth and rubbing it out of her eyes. "Wha- Ms. Grant?"

"Yes Kiera and now thanks to your inability to wake when called my sheets will have to be washed." Cat gave her a pointed look. Kara was sputtering an apology before she realized she didn't have even half of her disguise. She nearly knocked over the night stand trying to grab her glasses. Cat scoffed at her. "Forget them. You don't need them to see and I already know who you are."

Bright blue eyes met hers in shock. It was on the tip of her tongue to deny Cat's assumption but she let it go. It was an insult to Cat's intelligence to keep lying. "Please don't make this the next front page. It could put you in danger. It could put anyone I love in danger." Kara climbed out of the bed and followed Cat back into her office.

"I'm assuming you like your normal human life?" Kara nodded. "I have no intention of reporting it. But I expect to be getting all the Supergirl exclusives."

"You were getting those anyways." Cat laughed in agreement.

"I wasn't kidding about work, I want that gala planned by Tuesday. And the venue is going to need to be booked for Thursday." Kara was glad Cat wasn't grilling her about her alter ego but she cringed, booking anything on that short of notice would be a pain in the ass. And she imagined Cat wanted to invite like a million people.

"What kind exactly?" Cat sported a sly grin as the took their respective seats across from one another.

"Something in tribute to Supergirl. I wanted to thank her…well you I suppose, for your service to the city. The dress code should be formal red and blue dressed, the men should wear black with blue or red ties. And I want the servers all dressed as Supergirl."

Kara grimaced. "Will she- will I be expected to show?" It was odd having Cat know her secret.

"Yes. But as much assistant not as Supergirl. Unless you just want to make an entrance, I don't really care." Cat scowled. "Would be a rather sad thank you if I forced you to show up."

Kara let out a breath of air. She couldn't begin to explain how thankful she was Cat wasn't going to apparently use her secret against her. Not that she thought the D.E.O would stand for it.

"It's a weekend so it won't be until Monday until o can solidify and run plans by you." Cat nodded absently and began working on her own things. "What kind of food or entertainment?"

Cat waved her off without looking up. "Book whatever you want. You know my tastes. I'll check out the final plans before you commit to them." Kara nodded grateful to finally have some work to do. "And Kara. Now that I know your secret. If you need to talk, you know about your uncle, off the record, I'm willing to listen." Their eyes met and Kara hesitantly nodded.

"I'm not ready to talk about it. But- I'll think about it. Thank you Ms. Grant.

"Alright. Get to work. Galas don't plan themselves."

 **A/N: Not sure if I've ever written that dream in another story but it's actually one of my own. Just like the Bellatrix one in Just a Brand. It's a reoccurring nightmare and for some reason I felt like Kara should have it. Anyways now Cat knows. Yay for Cat. She's my favorite. Also I'm absolutely sure there will be no Cat/Kara romance. Maybe a Lena/Kara if she makes an appearance. Not sure yet.**


	10. Chapter 10

Planning the gala wouldn't have been so stressful if Reactron had chose any other time to go after Kara. That interview she had given Cat when she had first appeared was coming back to bite her in the ass since he was only after her because Superman was family.

Between worrying about him, her new family drama with Non, and the seating arrangements for Cat's after party dinner Kara was exhausted. It of course didn't help her mood any that her friends and family seemed to think she needed to call in Kal and let him handle the man.

Their protests ranged from the fact that he and Kal never bested each other to Kara was just new at the superhero gig and not ready. It all basically translated to they didn't believe in her. And that burned her up more than anything.

When Tuesday came around and Max Lord was taken from his labs for God knows what Kara couldn't handle it anymore. Cat had given her a speech about how she couldn't make her own way if she called for a man's help every time things got hard without even asking if that was Kara's intentions, when the D.E.O found a hit on Reactron's possible where about she took off without a word.

She didn't wait for backup like Alex asked, she didn't call Superman like Winn and James suggested and she honestly didn't act smart like Cat had hinted. Which was how she managed to save Max but end up pinned to the asphalt by Reactron's power.

She had put up a good fight but she hadn't been ready for the strength he possessed, or the pain that accompanied getting hit by that suit. With her back to the ground and him standing above her she wasn't sure she was going to make it. She tried to use her vision but she couldn't make it work. If it was the end it was a shitty one.

Her sight was blurring and she could hardly make out his figure even as he continued his attack on her. She could hear him laughing and her ear piece was buzzing in her ear but the sounds were like she was under water. She couldn't make out the words.

She was thinking about everyone she loved, wondering if they would feel responsible and hoping they didn't when something flew out of the sky and slammed into Reactron with an enraged cry even she could make out.

She tried to sit up. Tried to see what was going on. To help even if it was her cousin because no matter what her friends had said they had been right. Superman had never beat Reactron. But it was futile. Her body was spent, both physically and emotionally. She did notice that Reactron got away because the figure was making it's way back toward her.

It wasn't Kal. But she couldn't see anything but the light behind the woman leaning over her and she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. They drifted close of their own accord and she slipped into unconsciousness as she was lifted gently, and effortlessly, off the ground.

~A~

Alex was freaking out. She couldn't get hold of Kara and reports were that she was down. That Supergirl was down and no one could get to her. She heard Superman was on his way but Reactron was so powerful she didn't know if even he would get there in time.

She blamed herself. They had pushed her into this. Into feeling like she wasn't worth what Superman was, that she needed to prove herself. Kara had already done that a hundred times over. And she had proved to them that they were stronger together. She had no idea why Kara had seemed to forget that.

~A~

Astra hadn't been spying….not really. She had heard about Reactron. How Kal hadn't been able to best him and she had been worried. She had no intention of interfering. Saving people, fighting bad guys was Kara's stick not hers. But with every hit she cringed. When he attacked Kara with the damn orange light and Kara didn't get back up she had had it.

She charged him. He hadn't been expecting her so it was easy enough to launch him away from the girl. If she hadn't been so worried about Kara she might have pushed the attack but he was retreating. Obviously he knew she was far more powerful than Superman and he wasn't willing to risk capture or death as she was more likely to give him.

Instead she turned back toward the blonde girl struggling to see her. It physically hurt to see Kara in so much pain. She tried to whisper soothing words as Kara's eyes slipped closed but she wasn't sure the girl heard her.

Astra wasn't really sure what she was going to do with her but she bent and cradled her gently in her arms. "Kara baby your going to be okay." She held her tight to her chest and bent her head over Kara's.

The sound of helicopter blades in the distance jolted her. She remembered Non's plan of being anonymous and supported Kara with one hand while fumbling for the mask she had hidden in the neck of her suit. She slipped it on and lifted Kara against her again just as it hovered over head. Guns were instantly trained on her and she felt her stomach roll at the green bullets she knew they held inside.

She wished she had listened to Non when he was speaking of the weapon the humans possessed to use against them. She knew he had developed something to protect them but she had been in too much of a hurry to grab one. And she didn't want him to know she was going to keep an eye on Kara.

"Put Supergirl down." The helicopter had lowered a few of the black clad agents down. They all had their weapons trained on them but she knew they wouldn't shoot with Kara in her arms. They would be afraid of hitting her.

"I suggest you hold your fire. If you hit her I will not leave one of you alive." She growled, just in case one of them had a hair trigger.

A brunette lowered her weapon, Astra recognized her. She had been at Kara's apartment the night she first found her. "We won't shoot." She made a hand gesture and the others hesitantly lowered their weapons as well. Alex wasn't sure what condition Kara was in, she had no intention of making it worse. "What do you want?"

"World peace." Astra drawled sarcastically. She didn't bother to hide the grin, they couldn't see it behind the mask anyways.

"Give her to me?" Alex didn't even crack a smile at the joke. She was too worried.

"Can you carry her?" It was rhetorical, Astra knew the woman was strong but she couldn't carry Kara for long.

"I want to take her somewhere safe. You...you just saved her right?" Alex wasn't sure it wasn't just a kidnapping attempt. Although why the woman hadn't flown away yet Alex couldn't say.

Superman suddenly dropped down from the sky beside the agent. "Kara-" he took a step in their direction but Astra pulled back turning Kara slightly away from them. She hadn't meant to but she just got Kara, even though she was an adult Astra was having a hard time relinquishing her hold. "Give me my cousin."

Astra had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. She once watched him play in cow feces, yet here he was making demands of her.

She watched the agent place a hand on his forearm and shake her head. Astra heard the news helicopters now. If she didn't make an exit she was going to have to listen to Non's nagging about their plans again. The question was did she make the exit with or without Kara.

"Please she might need medical attention. Please give her to me."

Astra glanced down at Kara. She looked fine. She was breathing peacefully and easily there was no broken bones or bruising so her powers were still intact. "She's fine, brave one." Alex jerked in surprise at the name. At the genuine affection that was put into it.

Kara stirred in her arms and Astra pulled her closer. "Please." Alex breathed out pleadingly.

Astra stared at her for a moment. "Do not shoot me." Alex nodded and Astra moved forward to hand Kara over to Kal-El. "Your parents. I didn't know them that well, but they would be proud of you." He stared at her in shock before he reached for Kara.

The girl mumbled something in Kryptonian and grasped at Astra's suit. Superman couldn't free her grip he looked up at Astra for help. She sighed and leaned down to whisper words into Kara's ear. Her grip immediately loosened and Kal lifted her easily out of Astra's arms.

She was surprised that the agents kept their word. No one tried to shoot her as she flew away. The only pain she felt was having Kara taken away once again, of giving her up once again.

~A~

"Kal….what did she say?" The man turned to look at Alex in shock as he held Kara against his chest.

"She told Kara she loved her. That was it."


	11. Chapter 11

Kara woke with a jolt, sitting straight up on her couch until Alex broke through her mental haze and eased her back down. "Take it easy. You got the crap kicked out of you." The blonde grimaced.

"Where…what happened?" Her voice was scratchy and she gratefully took the glass of water Winn offered before he sat down on the chair arm.

"Reactron kicked your ass." Alex told her bluntly. Kara grimaced and glanced down to see she was still in her super suit.

"How did I get back here?"

"Clark dropped you off on his way back to Metropolis." Alex told her quietly.

Kara's eyes landed on James accusingly. He moved around from behind the couch and took a seat on her coffee table. "You called him?" James fiddled with his watch guiltily.

"Yes, I did." He met her eyes. "And I would do it again. You night have died."

"That wasn't your call." She told him angrily. "I can't be the kind of hero I want to be if I always call Kal for help."

"You can't be any kind of hero if your dead!" James practically shouted at her.

"Okay….okay…it's over now. Kara is okay so let's just….not get too-"

James cut Winn off. "Yeah she's fine now, some woman saved her, but what about the next time?"

Kara wanted to argue more with him but his comment about the woman stopped her. "What woman?"

Alex frowned furiously at James. "There was a woman there when we got to you. She was holding you."

Kara's eyes crinkled adorably in her confusion. "Who was it?" She tried to think of all the Supers she knew about, there wasn't a lot of women and none in the area. At least she didn't think there was.

"They were wearing a mask like the one Non had." Alex told her. "We thought maybe it was a kidnapping." Alex didn't want to tell her about the woman's parting words. She had a strange feeling she knew who that woman was but she wasn't sure she wanted Kara to connect the dots. She didn't know why Non had told her Astra was dead but Alex was having her doubts about his honesty.

"Why would they kidnap me?" They all had their own ideas on the matter but none of them volunteered them.

"Not for any good reason." Alex finally said. "Alright everyone out. I'm going to have some quality time with my sister and there may be a bit of shouting since she actually survived." Kara grimaced in apprehension. She knew Alex wasn't going to let it go. She had told her to wait for backup and Kara begrudgingly admitted Alex had been right.

James and Winn said there goodbyes but Kara grabed James at the door. "This conversation, about calling for Kal isn't over. It wasn't your call, James." He wanted to say something but with a stern look from her he nodded and she closed the door behind him. Alex sat expectantly on her couch and she gingerly moved back to sit beside her. "Are you really going to yell at me?" she asked, snuggling into Alex's side still in full Super getup.

Alex hugged her tightly for a second and breathed out a heavy sigh. "Maybe tomorrow. I'm staying the night with you again." Kara groaned but nodded.

"I get to pick the movie then."

"Then I get to order the food."

"Extra-"

"Potstickers I know."

~A~

"We are at war with them, what were you thinking saving the girl?" Astra looked up at her friend as she landed on the building next to her.

"I was thinking this may not be the way to achieve our goal."

Europa sat down on the ledge with her and leaned down to peer at the street bellow. Heights made her dizzy. Ironic as it was. She leaned backwards and clutched at the smirking woman's suit. "You were so sure myriad was the way to go before."

"Yes. I was."

"You found her didn't you? She's Supergirl isn't she?" Europa cursed and rubbed her eyes with the hand not currently holding onto Astra for dear life.

Astra nodded and didn't look at her. "How can you fly and still be afraid?" She chided.

"Don't change the subject, Astra. What are you going to do? Non isn't going to let this plan just die. He has it in his head he wants to rule."

"Yes…" She started slowly. "He has the blue bimbo spouting all that nonsense in his head.

"Careful, friend, you almost sound jealous."

Astra gave her a scathing look but her heart wasn't in it. She was too worried about Kara. "Perhaps I am jealous of his confidence. I was never sure Myriad was the right way to go."

The blonde snorted delicately. "You created it. It was your plan from the beginning." Astra had forgotten Europa had been by her side throughout everything.

"It was all hypothetical you know. What if stuff. Non encouraged it. He…gave me tunnel vision. All I could see was how Myriad would work and he made sure I devoted all my time into it. And only it. I didn't try and think of anything else. He is trying to do the same to me here. But…Kara is here. Within reach and she is trying something else. Her way is going to take longer but it may be the right way. I don't know anymore."

"You always seemed to believe in it." Europa said quietly.

Astra glanced at her. "But you didn't." She said quietly meeting brilliant grey eyes.

"I believed in you."

"Maybe you shouldn't. I could never figure out why you believed in me so much you turned yourself in. You weren't caught with the rest of them."

"You know why." Astra sighed and looked back out the city before climbing to her feet, pulling the woman up with her.

"Come on. I'll lead and you can keep your eyes closed on the way back to my house."

Europa beamed. "Best friend ever."

 **A/N: this was supposed to be added to the last chapter but somehow I messed it up when I- never mind anyways here is the second part. Enjoy. I'm trying to update this at least every other night at the very least once a week.**


	12. Chapter 12

"This is a bad idea." Kara groaned as Cat smiled politely at all the 'important' people they passed and led her around the huge room as she mingled. Kara's eyes kept glancing back and forth between the large glass windows and the huge glass skylight. There was so many potentially dangerous things, from the glass to the artwork. If a fight broke out in here she was willing to bet her paycheck someone was going to get hurt.

Cat squeezed her arm reassuringly. She snagged a glass of champagne from a tray off a passing a waitress, one dressed as her secretary's alter ego, something Kara had religiously argued against, and pressed it into Kara's surprised hand. "Drink this. It'll calm your nerves." Cat told her blandly.

Kara held it awkwardly and her eyes screamed confusion at Cat behind her lead lined glasses. "What? Why- I mean I can't exactly- What with my physio-"" Cat held up the hand not currently holding Kara's arm and silenced the stuttering mess she referred to fondly as her assistant.

Normally Cat would have loved to hear about the things the Girl of Steel couldn't do. But right now she was there, throwing the gala to support the girl, not take advantage of her nervous state. And now that she knew for certain that Kara was Supergirl she knew she could bully the girl into giving her a few more exclusive facts about her alien life whenever she wanted.

"Just drink it, Kiera. It'll help you blend in and give you something else to do besides panic."

Kara huffed, slightly annoyed, but sipped at the pale liquid she had been given. She wasn't fond of human alcohol, she wasn't fond of any alcohol actually, but even she had to admit the bubbly stuff was pretty good. Especially when it cost damn near a thousand a glass, and she should know as she was the one who placed the order.

Cat spotted someone and quickly drew Kara aside, being careful to keep away from anyone with a prying ear. "I'm about to introduce you to someone and I want you to keep an open mind." She rolled her eyes at Kara's expression. The woman was, after all, the most unbiased woman Cat had ever met. "She is a Luthor, Kara, and I know all about the history between your two families." Kara's expression darkened, she looked more like her counterpart in that moment, even in her mundane disguise. Cat pinched her inconspicuously. "You don't know her, it's not like you to pass judgement like that."

"Luthors don't exactly have a good track record, Ms. Grant. Perhaps it's better if I won't"

Cat cut her off. "Oh no you don't. Just because you're-, " She glanced around and noticed a paid of women chatting idly within ear shot. "Just because you have a night job doesn't mean you get to stop being my assistant. Ms. Luthor and I will be spending quite a bit of time together working on a new wing for the children's hospital. I will need your help and you will be required to work with her, Kara."

The taller blonde let out an irritated sigh but nodded. She fidgeted nervously with her glasses and nearly broke the champagne flute in the process. Cat finally let go of her arm and took the delicate glass from her. "It won't be so bad. I've vetted her extensively. She only wants to make up for the negative stigma her family has put on their names. She seemed genuine. And, as nauseating as it is, she is almost as much a goody two shoes as you are. She just has a bit more back bone." Cat rolled her eyes at the hurt look her secretary shot her. "You have to start standing up for yourself outside of being….well you know. I won't be around forever." She mumbled cryptically. Kara's blue eyes narrowed at the statement but she didn't comment.

"I'll be on my best behavior Ms. Grant." She promised. Cat sighed and pulled her towards the woman they had been discussing. Kara went, and tried not to be too reluctant.

She was surprised when Cat introduced her to Lena Luthor. The woman was tall, beautiful, and her smile seemed genuine. Her laugh was amazing too. And everything she said rang with honesty and determination. Whatever else in her life it was apparent that Ms. Lena Luthor was determined to get the hospital everything they needed and then some. Kara was positively enraptured, and Cat was grinning like a cat that ate the canary.

She left the two alone, on the pretense of mingling some more, and Kara found she hardly noticed. She sure wasn't worried about Reactron showing up anymore. She was hanging on every word that fell out of the other woman's mouth and reveling in the fact that Lena Luthor shared her intelligence with the rest of her family but seemed to have missed out on the crazy psychotic gene they all seemed to share.

But of course because she was Kara Danvers and not, at the present moment, portraying her alter ego, who is far more confident, she ruined it. Or at least embarrassed herself in front of the pretty girl who she had forgotten was the sister of her cousins nemesis.

Someone broke a glass, dropped the flute on the floor. It usually happens at parties like this and normally she would just smile awkwardly at the person and wave a server over to clean the mess. This time, after her fixation on the windows and sky lights earlier, this time she jumped just slightly too high and only remembered herself at the last moment. And if course when she remembered she was 'human' and not capable of flight she landed on her ass in the expensive dress Cat had given her and brought Lena Luthor, who had reached out to help her, tumbling down on top of her.

Instead of the room being quiet because someone had dropped a glass and made a lot of noise it was now quiet for an entirely different reason. One that had everything to do with the tiny amount of space between Kara and Lena's lips and the fact that Lena had both hands on the floor beside the blonde but Kara had one of her own around the woman's neck and clutching onto a very human, but very strong, forearm. Lena obviously worked out. She squeezed the muscles gently and a dark eyebrow raised in amusement. Kara's face positively flamed.

Cat, thank Rao, finally came to her rescue. "What on Earth….are you two okay?" Cat, with the aid of another gentleman, reaches down and helped the brunette to her feet. Lena in turn grabbed Kara's hand before Cat could and the blonde let herself be pulled to her feet. She was heavy, but she was very impressed with Lena's strength.

"Kara here just had a fright is all." The alien was sure she was going to fall in love with that accent. Not many people had accents like that. The Luthor family sure didn't, she wondered where Lena picked up hers.

"A fright?" Cat said slowly and eyed her suspiciously. "The glass gave you a fright?" She didn't believe it. Kara grimaced and nodded, her blush was never going to go aeay she was sure of it.

"I wasn't expecting it, I was distracted…" She slowed to a near hault as she uttered the last word. The look on Cat's face was unprecedented.

She had never seen Cat trying so hard not to laugh as she did her best to appear serious in front of so many people. The Queen of all Media didn't act so kindly to her employees after all. Especially when they were supposed to be working…. But oh it was gold. She hadn't known Kara was so…sexually fluid. It made sense, alien and all, she made a mental note to include that in an exclusive. Might do the LGBTQ community some good to hear how open alien races were, and if they weren't so open she just wouldn't write about it, no sense in creating more negative news.

"Right….can we get back to work then. Your supposed to be keeping an eye on things." Kara grimaced again and said a quiet farewell to Lena as her boss pulled her away. Cat smiled at the glare the brunette sent her. Kara apparently wasn't the only one a little smitten it seemed. Lena sure didn't like the grip she had on her secretaries arm. She made another mental note to have a word with the Luthor about boss and secretary stereo types.

"Sorry, " Kara muttered once they were out of ear shot. "I wasn't focusing.",

"Yes, I realize that. Your lucky that astounding Olympic leap you made was muddled by the fall back to earth. Remember gravity suddenly?"

Kara shot her a sharp look. Having Cat know her secret was turning out to be a right pain in the ass. Sure she was supportive and believed in her now more than ever, but Kara wasn't sure she was going to like the selective teasing. Not to mention the million questions she could just see milling around in the older woman's head.

"It won't happen again." She promised through gritted teeth and a fake smile.

Cat laughed, not in her usual fake cynical way either but a real genuine chuckle, the one Kara rarely hears unless it's directed at Carter. "I have a feeling it's going to happen a lot around Ms. Luthor. Just be careful not to let it distract you from work, or….work." She said pointedly. Kara, who had just managed to control her blush was once again sporting red ears. She was often a rambling mess, it was part of her disguise. She wasn't too fond of being called out on it though, only enough when she was just Kara Danvers her bumbling mess wasn't something she could seem to control.

"I'll do better." Cat made a dismissive hand gesture and nodded toward two arguing guests. High profile ones if Kara remembered correctly, which when did she ever not? "I got it."

The blonde trudged off toward the two men, ready to pull them apart and show them what's what, on a purely human scale of course. Cat watched her go with a wry smile. Out of the corner of her eye she could still see Lena watching Kara curiously. Whatever they had been talking about had obviously peeked the interest of one of the smartest women in the city.

Which raised another question. Surely Kara's world had been light-years ahead of theirs in terms of technology. They had made it all the way to Earth from deep space after all. She wondered how much of that education Kara had access to.

"Ms. Grant?" She plastered a smile on her face and turned back to her guests. Time to do what she did best and campaign for Supergirl. After all she was selling magazines, and now Cat had a truly personal stake in her reputation. Now that she knew the Girl of Steel was the best Secretary and friend she'd had in a long time. She needed to make sure she did her part in helping the girl distress. And the only way she could do that was by keeping the public on her side instead of Max's.

~K~

Kara was bored. She was usually bored at these kind of parties. She scheduled them so well nothing usually went wrong. And they weren't really her scene or her people. Normally she would have ducked out earlier and kept an ear out for trouble while she enjoyed a night at home with a book. Tonight she needed to stay in case Reactron made a show. He hadn't yet. Which left her bored, although bored and grateful.

Despite all the confidence Cat had in her Kara had no idea how to best the man. It didn't take him long to pound her into the pavement last time. Quiet literally. If it hadn't been for Kal she very well could have died. It feels odd to be faced with the concept of death after you arrive on a planet where you're basically immortal.

She chewed on her bottom lip and played with the glass of water in her hands. She just wasn't in a good headspace.

"Everything looks clear Kara. You okay?" She nearly jumped at Alex's voice in her ear. She had forgotten about the ear piece her sister had foisted on her.

"Fine." She said quietly so as not to draw unnecessary attention to herself. She had already looked silly one time today she didn't want to look crazy as well.

"Enjoy yourself. We will keep an eye on things and let you know if anything changes."

She didn't reply. She took a sip of the lukewarm water and scowled into the glass. She liked being a hero she really did but she hated that things were so complicated. Reactron, her Uncle and his criminal escapees. Why couldn't she just rescue kittens and stop fires?

"Has the glass said something to offend you?" Came a soft voice to her left.

She glanced up and frowned. A very beautiful blonde stood beside her, nursing some kind of scotch if the smell was anything to go by. If looked like it had once contained ice but the frozen liquid had long since melted.

"I- No. Why?"

"You're staring at it awfully hard." The blonde smiled. Kara wondered vaguely if she had met the woman before. She looked familiar, but Kara was sure she wasn't on the guest list. Perhaps she had been someone date.

"A lot of work stuff…on my mind." She said lamely, waving the glass around carelessly.

"Yes, I know the feeling. My – boss is having some kind of moral crisis. Not sure the project we have been working on is…morally the way to go. Unfortunately the rest of the team is pretty committed."

Kara wondered why she was being told all this. She didn't say anything to interrupt her though.

"Could end in blood shed." She was told in a whimsical tone of someone that is just so over all the drama that they don't care anymore.

"Sounds pretty bad." Kara said, attempting a sympathetic tone.

The woman sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I told her I wasn't good at subtlety. Look here, just take this I know you'll need it. It'll get you into the military protocols on the pod." Kara stared dumbfounded as the woman slipped a piece of crumpled paper into her hands. "Find everything you can on myriad. Good luck." Before Kara could say anything the woman was gone.

She blinked and glanced down at the paper. It was a series of Kryptonian letters. She tried her x-ray vision, tilting her glasses down just enough to get a look around and to be thoroughly embarrassed by what a couple was doing in a nearby bathroom, but the woman was gone. Leaving Kara with more questions that she started the night off with and even less answers.


	13. Chapter 13

Astra wasn't glaring per say….but she didn't look too terribly happy when Europa landed on the building beside her. Or rather crashed on the building beside her, Europa had a habit of zeroing in on Astra's heartbeat and flying with her eyes closed until she landed either on or near her General. It was really a toss up of the two and Astra was pretty sure she landed on her on purpose sometimes just to keep her on her toes.

The brunette stood over the woman as she climbed gingerly to her feet and brushed the gravel off her pretty dress. Her blue eyes glanced up and she grimaced at the woman's rigid military stance and annoyed grimace.

"I told you I wasn't the person for the job, you know I can't be subtle." She waved an elegant finger in the woman's direction accusingly.

"Yes, I know." Astra said in a measured tone. "Your idea of subtlety would be to drop from the skylight and announce to everyone that your in on the evil grand plan and must be locked up, post haste."

"Look that was just a rumor okay. I didn't actually blow the skylight of the judicial building and jump in to turn myself in." Astra raised an eyebrow, she hadn't been transferred to Roz yet when Europa turned herself in. The rumor was it had been quite a grand statement. One that couldn't be swept under the rugs, Europa had been a very important person back on their planet after all. "Look all I did was crash a sky car, a little one…." She held her thumb and pointer finger in the "little" gesture.

"You shouldn't have done it." Astra said quietly.

Blue eyes looked away, preferring the terrifying height to the pity in her commander and friend's eyes. "If I hadn't I would be dead like the rest of them."

"I am glad your not. I'm sure they would have gotten you off world. My sister was able to get two children off planet moments before its destruction. I find it difficult to believe that none of your family survived."

"Astra, my family wasn't….they-" Europa trailed off, unsure of what to say. Unsure of how to tell Astra that she hoped none of her family made it off world, that their species was better off without them. She knew Astra had thought highly of her father and grandfather. She also knew that Astra hadn't approved of her arranged marriage. The woman was never very forth coming when she asked her why, only said that she didn't like her husband to be. Funny no one much liked the Daxamites.

"Never mind, they are gone anyways, no point in dwelling on the dead."

Astra said nothing but her stance eased up just a bit. She reached out and tugged a blonde lock affectionately. "At least you managed to give her the access codes. Let's hope they work." She didn't add that there might not be anything on myriad in the pods. She hoped her sister had the foresight to add it since both she and Non were the ones that tried to unleash it. But if she didn't….if she hadn't Astra was going to have to rethink her plan, take a more hands on approach and she wasn't quiet ready to give up her inside yet.

"You know once they do crack it they will have my dossier. Kara saw my face clearly."

Astra hummed. It wasn't really important. Kara would recognize Europa's house name but she very much doubted her political future had been placed in the dossier. There wouldn't have been any point. Not that it mattered on Earth anyways, there was no Daxamite to marry here. No Kryptonian Houses.

"I don't think it will be a problem."

Europa smiled wryly. "You don't know the humans very well, my friend. Once Kara tells them of my family name, of its station on our home….they will likely think I'm commanding Non. Or at the very least his representative. If they find anything on the project they may even consider what I just did a threat."

Astra frowned. That could potentially be a problem. It could expose them both to Non before they were ready.

"Perhaps you should visit her again. Explain our, delicate, situation."

A heavy sigh answered her, but no protests came. "If I get caught Astra I am definitely going to kill you."

The brunette grinned. "Ill come rescue you like a night in shining armor, I assure you." Somehow Europa didn't quiet believe her. "In any case I don't want you returning tonight. I'm sure she is expecting the nuclear man."

"Reactron." Astra ignored her correction.

"I'll keep and eye out. Go back to my home, I'll meet you there once I know she is safe."

Europa grumbled about having to fly, Astra ignored that too. Her attention was focused back on the gala. They were so far away she had to strain her senses to see or hear anything but any closer and they risked being found by Kara, or the D.E.O.

"Non is going to think we are having an affair, as often as I stay at your home."

Astra's attention whirled back to the blonde. "Are you afraid of him?" Europa shot her an incredulous look. "No…then do no concern yourself with his pettiness. You are welcome in my home, he is not. He may do with that knowledge what he will." Her attention went back to the gala. Her mind though was torn between Europa's words and the dull, emotionless tone with which she said them.

The blonde said no more but her feet left cracks in the roof as she pushed off back into the air. Astra sighed wearily and brushed the tears from her eyes.

~K~

Kara stared at the paper in her hand. Hear ears were buzzing and her mind was filled with so many questions. Questions like what the hell was myriad and was that the woman that saved her from Reactron the other night, and if it was why did she do it? If she was working with Non why on Earth would she save Kara? Her uncle had made his distaste for her well known and his plans as well. He wanted her dead.

"Kara!" The blonde was once again surprise by Alex's voice. She winced at the loud tone, having Alex in her ear was a great advantage but her hearing was already far above a human's, she hated when Alex yelled. "What's going on, why aren't you answering me?" Kara grimaced, that explained the buzzing in her ears.

"I'm fine." She pulled her phone from a hidden pocket in her dress and held it up to her ear so she didn't look crazy. "A woman just handed me a piece of paper with what she said was Kryptonian military codes. She snapped a quick picture and sent it to Alex. "She said to find everything I could on Myriad.

"Myriad?" Kara sighed. "What did the woman look like, was she Kryptonian? Why would they be giving you-"

"I don't know." Kara snapped, instantly regretting it because the silence that followed was beyond awkward." She was blonde and gorgeous. Like a supermodel."

Alex ignored the fact that her perpetually happy sibling just snapped at her in irritation, she would come back to that on their own time. "It's not the woman we met before." She told her sister quietly. "Is there something going on in Non's ranks? Do you think this woman was betraying his plans, whatever this Myriad is it doesn't sound good?"

"Maybe two people….maybe they don't agree with his plans."

"They weren't necessarily his plans remember. He was following a woman." Kara groaned in further irritation.

"Shelve it for now Alex. Let's just focus on Reactron. Have you found anyway for me to beat him?"

"We are still working on it. We haven't been able to find him yet, on the positive side it means he isn't causing any trouble."

"Not yet…"

~A~

Alex paced around the command room staring at the characters on her phone. It was definitely Kryptonese and it was definitely a random assortment of numbers and letters. Military codes…

She gasped and took off toward the pod, everyone's eyes turned toward her. It was access codes, everything they couldn't get out of the pod, the military decryption. Whoever that woman had been she had just handed them the key on a damn golden platter.

She pulled up the information and fed in the codes, she didn't need to be able to read the language to copy the paper but it did help. Especially when the automated voice answered and granted her access.

"General Astra In-Ze." There was more information stored in the banks than Alex could translate.

"Danvers?" She turned and starred wide eyed at Hank Henshaw.

"Someone gave Kara her aunt's military security codes. She moved aside so he could see the pods holographic screen. His eyes widened in disbelief. "We're in." She breathed in disbelief.

"Agent Mathews, " the agent in question nearly fell out of his chair trying to answer the urgent tone in Hank's voice.

"Sir?"

"You and Vasquez see what you can dig up on this thing. Anything you can on the Fort Rozz prisoners-"

"And Myriad. The woman mentioned it when she handed Kara the codes." He nodded at the two as the began the download from the pod to their main computers. He and Alex turned away when something passed by them in a stream and shined a projection in the center of the room.

It was Kara's mother, Alex recognized her from the AI. She wasn't an AI though, it was only a recorded message. A hasty one if the look of barely restrained panic was anything to go by.

"Thank Rao you made it, Astra. I can not ever tell you how sorry I am. For not listening to you, for imprisoning you, and for my part in taking Kara away. I'm giving her to you now, something that should have been done after the death of our father, but please take this is as your chance to be the parent you never could be here on Krypton. Please keep our Kara safe. I love you, sister."

Alex started into the space as the hologram faded away. All eyes were on her, there wasn't one that seemed to understand a word of what the echo of the long dead woman had said, only Alex had ever taken the time to fully learn Kryptonian.

"Agent Danvers?" Hank asked hesitantly.

"What? Oh yes….it was just a message letting General Astra know she was grateful for her taking care of Kara on Earth." Alex couldnt meet his eyes, her mind was racing. Surely she hadn't understood the implications….her Krytponian had to be flawed somewhere but the only way to be sure would be to show the hologram to Kara and she wasn't sure she wanted to do that just yet. But if she wasn't wrong and she withheld it the outcome could be even worse when the girl found out. There was nothing Kara hated more than being lied to. Probably because she was forced to lie enough herself.

"That's all?" He asked in barely concealed disbelief.

She met his eyes confidently. "Its all I could understand. Kara taught me the language but its not like I have ever had any practice with it outside of her." And now Alex was sure Kara had spoken very slow to her, like she would have a child. She took a little comfort in the knowledge that Kara had to speak the same way to Clark.

"Agents! I've got a bead on Reactron. He is heading to the gala." Alex rushed to the console and tapped her ear piece to give her sister a heads up. "There is something wrong though, his levels are all over the place if it isn't stabilized…." There was no need to finish they all knew what would happen, he would have a nuclear melt down just like a reactor. It would not end well.

Alex took a deep steadying breath and shot Hank a worried look. Her finger pressed once again on her ear piece, "Kara….we have another problem."

~K~

Kara was cursing under her breath when James found her. "Kara can we talk?" He reached out and grabbed her arm but couldn't hold on as she didn't slow her pace. "Kara?"

"No time, trouble is-" She didn't finish, Reactron crashed through the skylight, she wanted to roll her eyes at the dramatic flare but was far too worried she wouldn't be strong enough to save everyone.

"Oh…" James took a step back, his eyes fixed on Reactron, just like everyone else in the room. Kara wished they would just get to the running already, why did people always wait till things started breaking before they got to the running.

For his part Reactron remained quiet. In lieu of words he aimed both his arms toward a cardboard cut out of Supergirl and fired, creating a hole where Kara's face had once been. At least it got the masses running, giving her the cover to go get changed without being outed. She hadn't been particularly fond of the cutout but his obvious content made her gulp.

"Kara, Kara can you hear me?"

She nodded before she realized Alex couldn't see her. She tapped the ear piece and set it to stay on. "Yes."

"We don't think Max fixed his suit, if he doesn't stop using those weapons he is going to go nuclear."

Kara rushed back in her suit and managed to get in front of a server as he aimed, she took the brunt of his attack and winced as her body ached. "That's just great."

"Lead, Kara. The only way to stop him is to remove his core and encase it in lead. If you don't….if you don't encase it in lead…."

"Boom, I got it." She reflected an attack with her cape and stared at horror as it hit a concrete pillar and sent it on a path crashing into Winn. She managed to catch it but Winn didn't immediately move, leaving her vulnerable.

"Move Winn!" He jumped into action and rolled out of the way just as Reactron hit her again with a blast of energy. She dropped the heap of concrete and barely avoided his next volley.

"Hey!" She peaked out from behind her cover and gave a frustrated groan as James waved his arms at the enemy. "I'm the closest thing Superman has to a best friend. If you want to hurt him, killing me will do that."

"James! "It was too late, his completely unneeded and unwelcome distraction had Reactron chasing him back out into the streets. "Damn him." She didn't care that he was trying to help, he was causing more trouble. Now she had to hurry the hell up and find lead so he didn't die because he had a ridiculous hero complex.

She glanced around the room with her x-ray vision. She couldn't see through lead, there had to be lead somewhere. Anywhere. Just enough to get the core in somehow.

"Bingo."

~A~

Astra held her breath as she watched the fight rage on, moving from the gala to the street. It didn't last as long as it felt and she was surprised when Kara grasped at his center and pulled out the devise that powered his suit. She curled her fist around it as the man collapsed to the asphalt. D.E.O soldiers were quick to appear after the fight was over and take the man into custody.

"That's my girl." She smiled slightly and took off into the air.


	14. Chapter 14

Non stared at the T.V in anger. It had been a simple, easy enough plan. One that didn't involve loosing his wife and he was watching it go down the drain as the agents loaded up the human formerly known as Reactron. His entire body practically vibrated with the fury of it.

He was so sure. So sure that the damn human would be the end of Kara Zor-El. That he wouldn't be forced to get his hands dirty. Not that he actually minded doing the deed himself….actually the more he thought about the better he liked the idea.

He would wrap his hands around her neck and watch the life fade from her eyes. The eyes that reminded him everyday of his wife's betrayal on Krypton. The pain it brought him at every family gathering, seeing the way the child moved, boundless energy and purpose, the way she asked so many questions, curious about everything just like her father. Just like his brother.

Yes. He reached up and yanked the T.V from the wall and tossed it at the only human in the bar that had been brave enough to try and stop him. He relished in the destruction and the way the huge bouncer collapsed in on himself as his head smashed through the electronic.

Yes. He would enjoy seeing life flee those blue eyes. It would be like killing his brother all over again.

~K~

Kara was ecstatic. She was so full of confidence after defeating Reactron it was positively radiating from her. She couldn't help the huge smile that seemed to be permanently plastered on her beautiful face. It didn't bother her that the rumor around the office was that she met someone and was in 'love', it didn't bother her that Winn kept asking her about this new 'guy' she was dating at that he didn't really believe her when she said there wasn't anyone, it didn't even bother her that James and Lucy got back together for like the millionth time and that he was being distant. In fact the only thing that did bother her was the fact that Alex was acting a little shifty, like she was hiding something, and nothing Kara usually did could get her to crack. But she was still determined that it would not destroy her happy mood.

She was proud of herself, she was doing good at her job and the super side job and she had defeated someone her cousin hadn't been able to. She knew it wasn't a contest but that didn't mean she couldn't be happy about it. For the first time since she had started she was believing she could do it, sure she needed help, Alex and Winn for one. The D.E.O was useful too. And yeah Kal did it alone but she had said in the beginning that wasn't the kind of hero she wanted to be.

"Kara, hey Kara!" Someone grabbed her arm as she stepped into he Catco lobby. She barely remembered not to keep going, which might have broken the small hand wrapped around her upper arm.

She turned and smiled brightly at Lucy. She hadn't expected to see her today, James hadn't said Lucy was visiting or if she was working for Cat again. "Hey, Luce, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, Alex mentioned you had been down lately and might want to test something for me." She eyed her smile skeptically, scrutinizing it for it's genuineness. "You don't look down to me though."

"I'm not anymore. I wouldn't mind trying it out for you though. What is it anyways?" She ushered Lucy into the elevator so she could get up to her floor before Cat decided to breeze in.

"Dad has some kind of robot he thinks will be able to best aliens in a fight." She held her hand up at Kara's frown. "I know how he is trust me. But if it puts the military at easy to have something at least seemingly equal to you and Superman," Kara still thought it was odd that Lucy and her father still didn't know Lois was married to Superman. Kent got away with it by telling Lucy he was related to the Danvers, Kara didn't care for the lie but it was his alias so she couldn't tell him how to share it. "Well I say let them do it. As long as they don't use it to target you guys for no reason."

That part was what Kara was worried about. She like Lucy but she didn't trust her father, he was a xenophobe, and he had a lot of pull when it came to the military.

"Are you still willing to test it?" She asked her as the doors slid open on her floor.

Kara stepped out and Lucy followed, they both headed toward Kara's desk, neither one concerned that no one else had arrived yet. Kara was often early.

"I suppose so. But what happens if it doesn't do as well as they hope? I can't imagine they want me to fight it if they don't believe it won't beat me."

"Then they will go home with their tails between their legs and with a nasty temper probably." The tanned woman admitted. "I don't really care if you pulverize the thing though Kara. Your my friend and I think it's ridiculous that they even want something like this. You and Superman have never done anything to prove your against humanity."

Kara sighed. "I do understand though. If we wanted to we could do a lot of damage. We do damage just fighting bad guys, Alex was telling me they are putting in Supergirl and Superman man clauses in insurance plans now." Lucy winced. It was true. And the plans were a bit expensive since it was more likely to have damage from a super fight than it was to have damage from weather or even fires.

"I'll tell him you agree then. But Kara please be careful. If it proves to be too much get away, destroy if, I don't care. Don't let it do any damage. I don't care if it pisses off my dad. If it's winning he won't be calling it off until it hurts you, I hate it but I know him. You know how he is."

Kara nodded and smiled, she was thankful Lucy was as understanding as she was. She hadn't been happy when James had told her Kara's identity. Especially not when they had split up for a while right after, she hadn't known Lucy well enough to trust her and she and James had a lot of issues to work through. Now she was pretty sure she trusted Lucy more than James, the woman was more steady, disciplined, and reliable than he was. In a lot of ways James reminded her of a large child. Fickle and relied too much on other people, herself and Kal, to solve his problems. And he had this childish desire to be the hero. She understood the concept but she also knew his desire didn't entirely stem from helping people so much as it did the attention.

"Thank you, Kara. I'll text Alex the details okay?"

"Okay." Kara nodded toward the elevator. "James and a few more of our co-workers are on the way up if you want to wait around. I'm sure he will be pleased to see you."

"Yeah…he isn't exactly in the best mood. He still feels bad about calling in Superman the other night." Kara shrugged. She had been rather angry at the time because it seemed like he had no faith in her abilities. But she had to admit he had been right. She hadn't defeated Reactron that night and she had needed help.

"I'll talk to him." Lucy shot her a grateful smile.

"Thanks, his ego I guess took a good hit too. I'm pretty sure he thought you would swoon something about him being your hero." Kara laughed easily.

"Not gonna happen." She sat Cat's coffee down at her desk and took a seat just as the elevator doors opened. James smiled brightly when he spotted Lucy.

He walked over with Winn and kissed her upturned cheek. " What are you doing here, babe?" Winn made a face behind their back and Kara laughed as he had intended. He shot her a mischievous grin and sat down with his fingers threaded behind his head.

"I came to propose something to Kara." Lucy reached out and tugged gently on the back of Winn's chair as he rocked back, he nearly fell out and shot her a sheepish look as he jerked forward to counter balance. Lucy stuck her tongue out at him in happy childishness. "I got to get back to work though," She pulled away from James and waved at them as she climbed into the elevator.

"Propose?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah. The military made a robot. They want me to test it out. Should be fun." Kara shrugged and pulled out a folder, one she knew she was going to need for the hospital project she was working on for Cat and Lena Luthor. Her head titled to the side as she heard Cat's heals in the lobby below. "Here comes the boss." She muttered to the two. Winn instantly went to 'work' and James waved at her and headed off in the direction of his office.

"See you two later."

She looked through her files and contacts until Cat's elevator made it to the floor bellow. She subtly used her heat vision to heat up Cat's latte and was on her feet with it held out the second her boss' elevator slid open. Cat didn't even pause her stride as she took the offered drink and walked with Kara into her office.

"Have you looked over the plans I sent you about the hospital?" She pulled the sunglasses off her face and set them on her desk as she sipped the perfectly heated liquid. Kara was pretty sure it should have burnt her tongue but Cat never said anything.

"Some." Kara held out a paper toward her. "Here is a list of bids contractors have submitted. There is one I checked off because of reputation. They were the lowest." Cat glanced at the list and nodded.

"Contact Ms. Luthor, since we are going in as equal partners in this she has to approve the contractor as well. I want the best bargain of course, but I also want someone reputable. It's a children's wing. We don't need it falling down because of cheap materials." She waved her hand and sat at her desk to look over the layouts and numbers from last week. "Call her now, Kiera." Cat glanced up and smiled slyly as Kara turned around to nod.

"Of course, Ms. Grant."

Kara found it odd her heart was racing. She both wanted to put off calling Lena Luthor and call her immediately just to hear her voice. It was a strange feeling. One she definitely wasn't used to.

Cat hadn't given her a choice though, she imagined it was going to be five minutes before Cat was calling her and asking her what Luthor's response had been.

She sat heavily at her desk and reached for her phone. She didn't need to pull up the number, her near eidetic memory let her recall it instantly, even after only seeing it once.

She expected a secretary to answer, to tell her Ms. Luthor would call her back when she was available. She hadn't expected the woman to put her private cell phone number on the papers she sent to Kara for their correspondence. When the woman answered the phone Kara nearly dropped hers in surprise.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

"I- uh….yes Ms. Luthor. This is-"

"Kara, right?" The blonde nearly melted at the soft laughter she heard over the phone. She could imagine Lena sitting at her desk smiling at the blundering mess she made of herself.

"Yes. Ms. Grant insisted I call about the contractors. She wants to make sure you're on the same page before she commits to one." This was work, she could focus on work.

"Of course. How about we do lunch, we can talk about it then." She could hear papers rustling on the end of the line.

"Uh…lunch? Today? I….I have to check with Ms. Grant."

"Will she be coming?"

Kara sputtered. "I assume….I mean it's your project, your working on it together I'm just her assistant."

Cat stuck her head out the door. "Is that Ms. Luthor?" Kara nodded dumbly. "What does she say."

"She wants to do lunch." Kara said simply.

Cat smiled. "I am busy today, Carter is out of school he is coming by for lunch. You can go for me. I trust your judgment on everything else this is no different." She had a funny smile on her face as she moved back into her office.

"Oh I heard that. I'll pick you up at Twelve."

"Uh…okay." She really couldn't say anything else, the two women had effectively planned her lunch for her today, she made a mental note to call and cancel with Alex. Her sister had mentioned having something important to show her at the D.E.O but it was going to have to wait now as she effectively had no time.

"Great, see you then. Goodbye Kara." She hung up and Kara stared blankly down stairs the phone for a second in stunned silence. Luthor hadn't said anything per say….but the way she said everything…..Kara felt like the woman was perpetually flirting. And for some reason it made her stomach roll and her chest ache when she wondered if she was like that with everyone. She shook the feeling off and ignored Winn's scrutinizing gaze as she pulled out her cell and dialed Alex.

~A~

Alex was in the training room sparing with a new recruit, one from the Marines, when her sister called. He seemed very grateful for the pause as she made to answer.

"Hey Kar, what's up?" She was a little breathless from the workout but far from bent over like the well muscled man still in the circle behind her.

"Cat has me going to lunch with Lena Luthor to go over the children wing project. I won't be able to make it to the D.E.O today, unless you want me to come by after work?"

Alex bit her lip. There was no good time to show Kara the hologram and she knew Kara's lunch break wasn't the best time to do it anytime. She had watched it a hundred times already and she couldn't find any other way to translate Alura's words. She couldn't put off telling Kara. Or at least showing her the hologram and letting her come to her own conclusions.

"That would be best then, it is important."

"I'll see you then." Alex muttered her agreement. "Love you."

"Love you too." Kara hung up and Alex turned her attention back to the decorated soldier. "Ready for round two?" He grimaced but jumped back into battle stance. She had to give it to the Marines, normally the soldiers Hank had her train called out uncle by now. "Alright, let's go."

~K~

Lunch came a lot faster than Kara was ready for. Cat had kept her super busy running back and forth between departments gathering things for her and then sending them back with red ink all over the place. Cat seemed to be in a good mood but she was driving everyone else crazy. The woman normally demanded perfection but she was usually only this bad when she was angry. Today Cat was overly happy and Kara was sure no one like it a bit.

She was sitting back at her desk luckily enough when Lena came up to fetch her. She was surprised she didn't notice when the brunette was on her way up but she hadn't memorized Lena's heartbeat, or any other sound from the woman for that matter, so she hadn't been on the lookout for her as she was Cat.

Lena didn't seem to mind that Kara had no idea she was standing in front of her desk as the girl was bent over searching through her bottom drawer. "I just had it." Kara groaned.

"What are you looking for?" Lena asked in amusement.

Kara was so embedded in her search she didn't register the voice. " My spare phone. I broke mine again." She muttered as she pushed the draw closed carefully and pulled the next one open. She was sure she had put a few more spares in her work drawer. It had been a while since she needed to use them though. She was blaming Lena on this break though, the woman had her all frazzled, that was why she had accidentally sat on hers.

"Aha! I knew I had a spare somewhere." She pulled out the slim device with the pretty pink hard case. It wasn't her favorite but it was charged and effectively not broken. She glanced up to smile triumphantly at the person and nearly dropped it. "L-Lena!"

The C.E.O waggled her fingers and smiled in greeting. "Now that you have a phone are you ready to go?" Kara stared at her for a minute, taking in her fitting business suit and straight dark hair. She looked like a model out of a magazine. A perfect eyebrow arched in question and all Kara could do was nod. She made sure the phone worked and was backed up with her contacts before she followed Lena to the elevator. She probably should have told Cat she was headed to lunch but she didn't even think about it until Lena had pressed the button for the ground floor and the doors slid close. Then she had an entire new worry to think about as she was effectively alone with the gorgeous woman in the tiny box.

Lena chuckled. "I promise not to bite, you look incredibly tense."

Kara blew out a breath, carefully aware not to freeze anything because of her nervousness. Nerves apparently made it harder to control her powers. "I mean…you're Lena Luthor. I can't help it." Lena's expression darkened a bit and she looked away so Kara wouldn't see. Kara didn't but she did continue. "I looked you up you know," she admitted softly. "You're amazing. Intelligent and kind. And from what I could read you worked hard to get where you are and keep the Luthor name from only being about Lex and…." She trailed off, aware now of Lena's wide eyed look. "Sorry, did I cross a line? I didn't mean to I just never, well I had never heard of you…."

"So you don't think I'm going to turn out to be an evil Luthor." Kara jerked as if the woman had hit her.

"I- well I mean maybe it crossed my mind before I met you, I'm not exactly proud of it," They reached their stop and the elevator doors slid open. Neither woman climbed out. "I'm glad I was wrong. It didn't take but a few seconds of meeting you for me to change my opinion." Kara was hoping the other woman believed her. She didn't quite know why but it seemed utterly important for Lena to believe her. "I like you." She colored after she realized how her words could be construed. "I mean I think your awesome."

Lena smiled slowly and Kara stuck her hand out just in time to keep the doors from closing again. "Does that smile mean I haven't made an ass out of myself and we can still do lunch." Kara's stomach rumbled at the question making Lena laugh.

"Yes. We can still do lunch. A little Birdy told me you have a penchant for pot stickers." She grinned mischievously and pulled the stunned blonde out of the elevator. She answered the question before it could be asked. "I am a C.E.O I have my ways," Lena did not add that she had her assistant call and ask Cat Grant what Kara's favorite food was. Nor that she actually had to bribe Cat with an exclusive interview to get the shrewd woman to agree to reveal the secret of Kara and her love affair with Chinese food, mainly pot stickers.

"I love pot stickers." Kara admitted, her attention was riveted on the hand holding onto hers as Lena pulled her out of the office building and into a white Lexus waiting out front. "You drive?" She glanced around for a driver anywhere and couldn't seem to find one. She wasn't used to riding in a car without a driver, since she only ever rode with Cat it was kind of a giving. Honestly though she had seen Cat's driving record she wasn't sure she ever wanted the older woman to drive, and she was indestructible.

"I can drive. I love to drive." Lena opened the passenger door and pulled Kara to it. She finally let go of Kara's hand and waited for the girl to slide into the dark leather seats. Kara loved the comfortable fit. Lena closed the door as Kara buckled up obediently.

"Ready?" She asked as soon as she got herself into the drivers side and strapped in. The car hummed beautifully as Lena started the engine. Kara decided if she was ever going to get a car it was going to be one of these. Not even Cat's Mercedes drove this smoothly and rode as comfortably. And it might have been because she always rode in the back with Cat but she didn't remember all the little touch screen features in Cat's older car.

Lena smiled at her enthusiasm and reached over to hit a button on the radio. "I've got an extensive list of music. You can pick what you want." She offered the excited woman. Kara surfed through Lena's list and landed on a strings band she loved. She searched for her favorite number. It made Lena laugh, a sound Kara was learning to love, when she heard it. "Bond on Bond. Good choice."

They continued the ride in silence as they listened to the track. It seemed Kara liked Bond just as much as Lena did and she was surprised Lena had every song they had produced.

"Here we are." Kara glanced out as Lena pulled up to a fancy restaurant. She had never been here. "They have pot stickers I promise."

Kara glanced at her watch hesitantly. "I only get an hour for lunch."

"It's a working lunch. I talked to Cat, she said take all the time we need." Kara stared at the brunette in shock she wondered if there was anything Lena couldn't do.

~E~

"What are you doing?" Europa took a seat opposite the Jean clad woman and tried not to stare. Astra had on a white button up shirt and had, probably, accidentally left the top two undone. Europa tried her damnedest not to look down at the Lacey white bra she was wearing underneath.

"Spying." Came the surly reply. Astra didn't even glance at her although Europa was sure she had already been looked over a million times by the men in the bar. She hadn't known they were going to be meeting in a bar full of single drunk men when she left for lunch with her General. If she had she probably wouldn't have wore the tank top and ripped jeans. She at least would have wore something over the top, she hated the way men ogled her muscles.

"On Kara?" It wasn't really a question she needed an answer to but she needed a distraction from the way the man at the bar was looking at her. It made her feel dirty. She didn't understand why people were already drinking at lunch time. Didn't the humans have standards?

"Yes. She is meeting with a woman, a Luthor I am told."

That got Europa's attention. She turned her head and followed Astra's gaze. Sure enough Kara was laughing and eating lunch with a beautiful brunette. She had to admit the girl had good taste, the woman was gorgeous.

"Cute couple." She remarked. Astra glared at her until she held her hands up in surrender. "Just stating a fact."

"I think it's a work thing."

"Hmmmm? Isn't the Luthors supposed to be like some kind of nemesis to the house of El?" She asked as a waiter made his way over to them. Europa rolled her eyes at the look on his face as he approached. It was just what she needed, another man that thought he was a gift to women.

"I couldn't care." Astra took a sip of the liquid in front of her. A coffee if Europa was smelling right.

"Can I help you?" She barely restrained the groan at all the sugar in his tone.

"She wants the best red you have and a side of chips." Astra didn't even look his way as she went back to watching Kara. He glanced back and forth between them curiously and huffed when Europa confirmed it was indeed what she wanted. Unlike the humans she could drink all the alcohol she wanted, whenever she wanted because it didn't affect her in the slightest. And it just so happened she loved a good red wine. She actually hated chips, that was for Astra, she didn't have a clue why the woman always ordered them for her and then surreptitiously stole them from her.

"I'd like a cheeseburger too, all the way." He nodded and walked off, the charming smile dipped a little bit but she knew he would be back after convincing himself the two women were sisters or something and the charm would return with some extra. That was always how it was. And it always irritated her that Astra let her deal with it alone. She could at least glare at them every once in a while, even if she didn't feel anything besides friendship for Europa.

"Do you know when you plan to go back and see Kara?"

"I had assumed you were going to tell me."

"Soon. I don't think we want to wait too long. The D.E.O have probably already used the code, and it can't bode well with them that you know her identity."

"What are we doing, Astra. If we are going to be working against Non shouldn't we just announce ourselves. Do we really need to go about this all secret like?"

Had it been anyone else Astra would have snapped at them for questioning her. But it wasn't anyone else so she thought about her words, about the question and it's implications. About what would happen if she came to Kara, about what Non would do. She had to admit, if only to herself, that she was afraid Kara would reject her, feel neglected. That she would wonder why Astra didn't find her. It would break her heart if Kara hated her, even for a short while.

"I don't trust Non. Let me keep an eye on him as long as I can. If you get caught we will both jump ship. Until then we should make sure we know what he is up to." If Europa knew it was an excuse she didn't mention it. She didn't get a chance as the waiter came back with the food and her wine. He also sported an obnoxious smile and had evidently mess up his hair in a way millennials thought was supposed to be sexy.

He placed their food on the table in front of Europa and side in the booth beside her. "So I was wondering if you were free for dinner this weekend." He smiled confidently, completely ignoring the annoyed look she shot him.

"I'm not free." This didn't seem to deter him in any way.

"The next then. I know a good little mom and pop shop, good food, romantic atmosphere. It's a perfect date place." He scooted closer making her feel slightly claustrophobic. She wanted to shove him out of the booth but for fear of showing her superior strength she kept still, which seemed to egg him on as he seemed to get the picture she was only playing reluctant and wasn't actually abhorred at the thought of joining him for a meal.

"No thank you." She said politely as possible. "Shouldn't you get back to work?" His smile slipped for a second before he pressed on.

"Come on. Pretty girl like you, surely you don't want to spend the weekend alone." He reached out to touch her face with his hand. Europa didn't actually have time to react. Astra beat her to it. Her hand launched out and clamped on his faster than the human eye could see. His face paled and his gaze was drawn to her eyes. She did not look happy at all, she looked a little murderous actually.

"Is it a human custom to touch what is not yours?" Her tone was quiet and polite but it had unmistakable bite to it. Europa glanced over toward the restaurant Kara was eating at to see what triggered Astra's loss of temperament but the girl didn't look any worse for wear and she was still conversing happily with the Luthor woman.

"Hu-human?" The waiter gulped and grimaced at the slight pressure she exerted on his captured hand.

"I suggest you return to your work and leave her the hell alone before I rip out your spine."

"Ast-!" Europa had never heard the woman directly threaten a human before. She didn't know what had triggered the action but she was so nonplused she barely caught herself from using the woman's name. If he went to the news about this she didn't need Kara finding out Astra was alive through this.

"Okay, yeah. You're absolutely right." He nodded emphatically and she let go instantly. "Sorry, I didn't know you were together. Won't happen again." He rubbed his sore wrist and rushed off toward the kitchen. Europa did not imagine the wink the cook gave them through the small serving window. Astra merely shrugged at her and went back to watching Kara, every so often she reached out and stole a fry.

Europa ate in silence, the infamous Kryptonian appetite hitting her in full force after the drama was over. Once the food was gone, which didn't take long, she wondered what brought about the reaction in her usually poised leader.

"What was that about, Astra?" Brown eyes moved over her face quietly. She didn't offer up an answer and Europa could find no answer of her own. "It doesn't usually bother you when they come onto us."

"He was persistent." Some of the others had been too but she didn't mention it. If that's where Astra wanted to leave it that's where it would end. "He had the gall to try and touch you." She clenched her teeth at this. The blonde thought back and she couldn't remember anyone else ever being so brazen. She was well aware of Astra's relationship with her husband and her father, well aware that the woman didn't like touching without permission.

"Yes, I suppose he did." She didn't mention Astra's comment, 'touching what doesn't belong to you' implies she belonged to someone. She knew Astra didn't regard her as property, but the hint of possessiveness she had heard had perhaps given her false hope. After nearly forty years as Astra's friend she should definitely know better.

~K~

Kara enjoyed spending time with Lena, and they actually managed to work while enjoying themselves. She was given an open invitation to visit Lena at work whenever the blonde felt like it. For lunch or anything, and they swapped cell numbers before the C.E.O dropped her back off by the office. She had attempted to walk her back in but Kara laughed her off.

She was smiling again as she took the stairs up to the floor bellow hers. She made sure to take the elevator up the last floor so it didn't look so off that she wasn't out of breath. Something she perfected over the years because she could walk up the stairs faster than the elevator could ride.

She was grateful there hadn't been any emergencies while she was out at lunch but now that she was back at work, nearly two hours later, she was wondering why it had been such a slow day for her alter ego. Not that she wasn't grateful but she found whenever it was super slow meant something super bad was likely on it's way.

 **A/N; This is ridiculously long so I'm super sorry that there is no way I am trying to edit it. I'm using a program for that but it changes stuff like your and you're and I find it infuriating that it actually changes it into the wrong format. Anyways it was a good night at work so I had all eight of my last hours to type. Enjoy.**


	15. Chapter 15

Non stared at the glowing green knife in his hand. Someone touched his shoulder and pressed against his back to whisper in his ear. "Are you going to do it?" The seductive voice sent ripples down his spine with ever word. "Don't you want to feel it slide through her like butter? You could do it so easily." A blue finger reached out and stroked the sharp edge, careful not to cut themselves. "You would finally be rid of her. After all these years."

He pulled away and turned sharply, his hand reached out and clamped down on the neck of the woman standing behind him. He pulled her close and kissed her harshly. She grinned into him even as he bit to draw blood in an attempt to assert his dominance.

Men were so easy. _He_ was so easy to manipulate. His pent up hatred for a child and his desire to be worthy of his wife's affection.

Indigo had no such desire, she hated Astra, hated the way the woman was. They way she only committed crimes in the name of the greater good, how she refused to kill. Denied her followers that pleasure, the pleasure of seeing the life flow out of terrified eyes, how the last thing those eyes would see would be their killer's face. It was a rush like no other when they finally realized there would be no help, when no savoir was coming to save them, that they were going to die and the last thing they would see would be her face. Indigo got off on it and goody two shoes Astra had condemned her for it. Had turned her name in to her bitch of a twin because of her one little murderous proclivity. She hated the hypocritical woman. She wanted nothing more than to destroy her. She was going to start by taking her husband, then her people, and then….then she was going to take over Earth and be worshiped as she should have been on Krypton.

But first she had to get Non and get him to complete Myriad.

Sexually he had been hers from the minute they met. Astra could barely stand her husband's touch and he was starved for a little affection. His heart was impossible, for all her faults Astra seemed to have an unwanted hold on that part of his anatomy but that didn't bother the blue skinned woman. After all men didn't do the thinking with that particular organ. When she played her cards right he didn't do any thinking with his brain either.

Sex thought, that was easy. What she really needed was something to push the man over the edge. And that came to her wearing a red cape and flying through the air in a mini skirt. His hatred for the girl was palpable. She knew if she helped him be rid of Kara Zor-El he would forever be bound to her. She didn't need him to love her if she could kill the girl. She had his eternal gratitude. And the icing on the cake was it would likely destroy Astra in the process.

~K~

Kara was leaving work late. She shot Alex a text, letting her know she was a few minutes out and gathered up all her paperwork so she could go over a few things at home.

The office was rather dark. No one else was in the building, except for a few wayward security guards a few floors bellow but it wasn't unusual for Kara or Cat to be the last ones out of the office. Usually they left together, more for Cat's safety than her own, she was indestructible after all. Today, however, Cat had left early to spend time with Carter.

On the rare occasions it had happened Cat had always made sure someone was left behind to stay with Kara until she went home. Today that didn't happen. Likely because Cat now knew if anyone tried to Rob or assault her lovely secretary they were the ones likely to be put in the hospital and not her. She didn't mind.

It was peaceful actually. She closed her eyes on a soft sigh and listened. Without the hustle and bustle of people running about trying to meet deadlines she could enjoy the soft quietness the height brought. With little effort she could close off the city sounds and listen only to the rush of air moving through the air-conditioning or the gentle hum of the lights flickering above her.

With the sun set casting gentle gold and red shadows into corners and the silence of voices she could almost feel as if she were back on Krypton. With her eyes closed and the warmth from the sun and absence of people it reminded her of a special memory. Of the first time her father had taken her to a planetarium. She had been five, she had stood underneath the huge dome and stared up at the pitch expanse of sky and felt so alone, yet so apart of something, at the same time.

It wasn't really the same. The planetarium had been beautiful, the stars and the lights of the cosmos had fascinated her. The office building was just full of empty cubicles and papers scattered everywhere. It was in no way similar to the beautiful stars of the night sky. The sky that had somehow made a five year old feel both salient and insufficient at the same time. But somehow the size and emptiness of it sparked the memory, made her feel at peace with being so small and alone, while at the same time reminded her that she was part of something bigger than herself.

She opened her eyes on a sigh and ran her fingers over the wood grain of her desk. She enjoyed the random times when she could fondly remember her life before the destruction of her planet but even as it brought her joy it brought with also a terrible sadness. She had enjoyed a good day, she didn't want to ruin it with doleful memories of her past.

She was after all having a good day.

*K*

Kara's good day was going up in smoke. And it started the minute she walking into HQ. Alex had been pacing, that was her first clue something was wrong. And then she stuttered random stuff about security codes and encryptions and that they hadn't translated anything on Myriad yet and before she would even let Kara look for herself she was grasping her arm and staring at her with tearful determined eyes.

And then the real problem had started. The message Alura had sent along with Kara…..

"Alex. What did she mean she should have-" Kara turned her frightened blue eyes onto her sister. There was anguish behind the colors that made Alex's heart break. She had so been hoping she was wrong. That she heard wrong.

"Kara?"

The blonde wasn't listening. She didn't actually expect her sister to answer questions about something she had never witnessed, about people she had never actually met.

She took off with a burst of speed toward the A.I of her mother. Surely if she were going to find answers it would be with the A.I. the only link she had to her culture….to her family.

"Kara." The happy fabricated voice was not something she wanted to hear. But it was the way the program was tasked to respond to her.

"Are you my mother?" Her words came out forceful. As if she hoped the stronger she appeared the easier the answer would be, and she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"I am an A.I-"

"That's not what I mean and you know it! Was Alura Zor-El my mother?!" She could barely make out the hologram because of the tears building up in her eyes. She took a breath and glanced up at the ceiling to try and alleviate the moisture.

The A.I had yet to speak. Alex had finally come in and stood behind her. She had ran throughout the halls and she desperately wanted to wrap her arms around her sister but she was afraid Kara would reject the affection.

"Kara.." The Krytponian let out a strangled breath. She knew what this was, another message. It was a will message, not the A.I. it was a message high officials made for families in case of their untimely deaths. It was supposed to bring closure. The fact that the trigger was her asking about her parentage was all the answer she needed to know.

"My daughter. My beautiful little girl, I'm sure you're a lovely woman now and I hope that my passing has not caused you too much grief.

I have made many mistakes in my life and I have many regrets. I could not rest peacefully in Rao's basking light if I did not at least alleviate this one. There are things about your birth that I never told you. I feared losing you, losing your trust and love. I was beyond selfish and I wish now that I could reverse time and correct everything that I did wrong. But if you never believe anything else please believe that out of all the mistakes and regrets I made you were never one of them.

I did everything I did to keep you safe, I protected you with my name, both me and your father did this willingly. We hid your natural birth from your grandfather and I had always thought once he passed away….I thought perhaps we could tell you the truth. But we were cowards…

I know that if your hearing this message you have already found out the truth… Somehow. I hope that you don't think the worse of us for keeping such an important thing from you.

You have to understand how much we loved you. How much you meant to us. It was….it was impossible to give you up. You are our daughter.

But we were wrong. I know that now and it's too late. Astra is imprisoned and if your seeing this your father and I are dead.

I will do everything I can to save you from the destruction of our planet. And if I can make amends with Astra somehow I will do everything in my power to see that she is safe with you. Never forget that we love you Kara. So much. And please don't ever be angry at Astra for giving you up. She had no choice. I hope she will be there to explain to you how you came to be my daughter. But if she isn't please just trust me, trust in my- in all our love for you.

We love you as our own. And I can promise you there isn't a day that has passed that Astra hasn't felt the same.

I love you my daughter. With all my heart."

The stoic A.I replaced the tearful face of her mother. The last recording that Alura had ever made to her daughter.

"Kara?" Alex reached out hesitantly and touch her sister's shoulder. Alura had spoken too fast for her to understand everything. But the way Kara stood, perfectly still as if even the smallest movement would shatter her didn't bode well for whatever the message had been about.

"Kar, are you okay?"

"No…" The sound was broken. Hollow. And in the next second the blonde was sobbing in her embrace. All Alex could do was hold her as she fell apart.

~A~

Alex had taken Kara home as soon as the girl willingly moved. Hank took one look at the hero and kept his mouth closed. He wasn't about to tell Alex she couldn't leave early, it would be a waste of his breath.

They were curled up on the couch under a blanket in PJs before Kara finally spoke.

"I don't understand any of this." She said softly. "I don't understand why they didn't tell me, why Astra gave me up. Why did they take me in?"

Alex stroked her hair. "I don't know." Her voice was soft, guilt colored it but Kara was too emotionally tired to tell her sister it wasn't her fault. She didn't blame her, not for telling her. How could she blame Alex for something the adults in her life had done long before she had ever met her.

"They sent Astra to the highest security prison. She looked just like mom…" she stuttered over the word. "She had to have known they would have….that the prisoners would have…." She trailed off as she sobbed, burying her head in Alex's shoulder, taking what little comfort she could. "They were rarely home. Always working. Do you think I was just some kind of obligation. Maybe they took me in because they didn't want some kind of political scandal."

Alex forced Kara to sit up. To meet her angry brown eyes. "Kara Zor-El Danvers, I will not sit hear and listen to this. I know it's a shock. I know it hurts and I'll support you. But don't say that you were just some kind of obligation. Your parents loved you. They chose to adopt you. Your mother told you so in her message." She stopped Kara from protesting. "She risked everything to send you here to us. And mom took you in, you weren't an obligation to her. We all love you. Your parents love you. Astra, Alura, Zor-El and your entire Earth family. Just because they made a mistake by not telling you the truth doesn't mean that they didn't love you like their own child." She trailed off….she hadn't meant to rant but she could not let Kara for one second believe that she wasn't loved. By anyone. It wasn't, couldn't be true. Nothing would ever make Alex believe anyone could see her sister as a burden.

Kara hugged her suddenly, tightly. Alex slapped at her arm and hissed out that she couldn't breath. "Sorry. I just think I needed to hear that. Your right. Mom and dad loved me. And Astra was around all the time so….maybe it was something else that….I just can't believe it. Maybe they did have their reasons but most of my life on Krypton was a lie and I don't understand why. All those stories mom used to tell me. She swore they were true."

"Maybe they were. Maybe they were about Astra."

"Maybe….I'm still angry." She stared at Alex, gnawing her bottom lip nervously.

"That understandable, Kar. They lied, and if you asked me they chose a cowardly way to tell you. But I can't help but give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe if you knew the truth you might have been in danger, or maybe they just loved you so much and were selfish. We won't know and there isn't anyway to find out….at least not now." She didn't tell Kara she suspected Astra was still alive. After everything she could not tell Kara that Astra may be the leader behind Non's actions.

"I love you, Alex."

The brunette smiled and shoved playfully at Kara's shoulder. "I love you to you goof. Now let's eat all the ice cream in the fridge and watch sad movies." Kara's laugh was light but it wasn't forced, it made Alex smile all the wider as she made her way to the fridge.

 **A/N; I need to gain more insight into how people feel when they find out they are adopted. This chapter has raised questions for me about whether I should tell my kids they are adopted when they are older.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N realized I should prob give heads up this chapter is rated at least a t for some mild, stressing very mild, sexy scenes. Mostly just mentioned nudity. You do t have to read it if you dont want to but as I changed the story rating from k to t thought I should just give a warning.**

Kara sat at her desk and stared blankly at the papers in her hand. She was meant to be going over papers for a fundraiser they were throwing for the hospital, Cat and Lena were paying the bill for the new wing but they were also throwing a fundraising party for new equipment and better activities for the children.

It was all for a good cause, and she was very passionate about it, but she couldn't seem to focus. All she could think about was her own personal drama which made her feel guilty and out of sorts.

"Are you alright?" Her head jerked up at the Irish lilted accent. Lena Luthor was staring down at her with a slightly concerned frown on her face and a slight crinkling to the corner of her eyes.

It was probably the first time someone other than Cat Grant had gotten her to respond on the first try all day, and that managed to grab Winn's attention. He sat at his desk and covertly watched the two women, slightly jealous because Kara hadn't said two words to him despite his many attempts to get her to cheer up and smile.

"Ms. Luthor!" Kara blushed for no apparent reason and shuffled a bit of papers on her desk. She was probably giving off a horrible impression, day dreaming at work. And her desk was an absolute mess.

"Lena is fine….are you alright?" She asked again.

"Me uh-" She stuttered and fidgeted nervously with her glasses. "Yes, I'm uh…fine."

Lena stared at her for a moment, as if she were trying to decide if Kara was lying. Something the blonde did not do very well, but she wasn't actually lying, physically she was fine.

"Would you like to have dinner with me?" Kara's blue eyes widened in shock. Her brain did a little melt down and her heart felt like it might have stopped beating for a second or two before suddenly it kicked into overdrive. Even with her super hearing all she could hear was the blood rushing through her own veins.

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Dinner? We can talk about what's bothering you." Lena leaned in and placed a hand on Kara's forehead as if she was feeling for a temperature. "You're a little warm, are you getting sick? Perhaps a rain check on dinner?"

"No- I mean I don't feel sick I-" Kara couldn't believe it. She had thought, for at least a second that Lena Luthor, hottest woman she had ever met, was asking her out. She should have known better. Lena wanted to be her friend, and they had to work together, that was all. She cleared her throat.

"I wouldn't mind having a friendly dinner," almost immediately she wished she hadn't emphasized friendly, she felt ridiculous.

Lena smiled slightly at her apparent nerves. The brunette obviously enjoyed teasing her. "Friendly dinner huh? I can cook you know?" She leaned over so she could whisper so only Kara could hear. "We could see just how friendly we could get." She pulled back with a sly grin, evidently pleased at how red Kara was. Lena couldn't help but be pleased she got the frown off her new friends face. Seeing Kara so downhearted made her chest ache.

"I-what?!" Kara practically squeaked. Surely she had misheard. She was very aware of Winn staring at the two with an open mouth and she could hear Cat's heels clicking on the floor of her office as she walked toward them.

Lena laughed heartily. She turned to see Cat just as the woman opened the door, as if she too had heard her approach. She glanced back down at the assistant and winked. "Relax, Kara, I'm only kidding. But not about dinner, I can pick you up here at six?"

"Six thirty." Cat said, a slight twinkle in her eyes. Kara looked back and forth between the two powerful women, completely unsure about what to say and slightly disappointed that Lena was only kidding. Not that she wanted to go quiet the far with her….at least not so soon, but she wouldn't have been opposed to a date….maybe. She shelved the thought, she knew she wouldn't have the confidence to ever ask and now she wasn't sure which way the brunette really leaned. Kara was beginning to think Lena Luthor was just a huge and harmless flirt.

She noticed Lena was looking at her for confirmation, somehow she thought it was sweet that despite all the confidence she seemed to be showing Lena wanted Kara's verbal confirmation. "Um yes, Ms. Luthor- uh Lena." She quickly corrected. "I'll go to dinner."

"Now that this has been sorted, after you Ms. Luthor." Cat held the door open and they both glanced back and smiled at the confused blonde before it shut behind them.

"What was that about?" Winn asked as soon as the two women were out of ear shot.

Kara shook her head. "I have no idea." She stared at him, well more through him, her brain was still trying to catch up with all the flirting she had just experience. "I think she came to talk with Ms. Grant about the hosp-"

"Not that," Winn interrupted. "All the flirting. She was practically sitting on your desk."

Kara blinked and finally took in his face, his frown and the deep lines in his forehead that let her know he was actually upset. "That's an exaggeration," She told him, though admittedly it wasn't much of one. "But I do like her, Winn." She made sure he took her meaning. He took a deep breath and her chest squeezed as she saw the unshed tears in his eyes. She couldn't lead him on though, he was her best friend and she couldn't return his feelings. It was better he knew now than finding out later, even if nothing ever came from her crush on the Luthor.

She watched him carefully, she half expected him to make some kind of excuse and storm off because he was hurt. He surprised her by smiling up through his pain. "I love you, Kar." She barely stopped from flinching as he said it. But she listened to him without interruption. "I just want you to be happy okay? Even if it's with a Luthor, or just another woman."

"Or a man?" She needed to know he wasn't just fooling himself into thinking she was lesbian. She wasn't. Kara liked people for people, gender was an Earth concept, many world's she had been on didn't categorize their people that way.

"Or a man." He nodded. "I can't always promise not to be an ass, but I can promise to try." He grinned, letting her know he was serious. He was going to try but jealousy could sometimes make people say things they regret later. A lesson she had learned before she and Alex got along. If he was willing to try for their friendship she would be willing to try and be understanding.

"Thank you, Winn." He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I should be thanking you, I mean…well you know what I mean. You didn't have to tell me how you felt about her, it's personal I get it."

"If I don't tell my best friend who would I tell. But seriously, don't breath a word." She said the last bit quietly because Lena and Cat were both heading back toward them. Winn shot her a look over his shoulder and raised his eyebrows, she glared back at him before smiling over at her amused boss and Lena.

"I'll see you at six, Kara." Lena waved and made her way to Cat's private elevator.

"Six thirty!" Cat fired off after her, Lena only laughed in response. Cat turned and shot Kara a smirk. "I think she's rather fond of you, Kiera." She laughed as Kara blushed dark red and retreated back into her office.

A quick glance around told Kara half the office was staring at her and her blush darkened, she buried her head in her arms and groaned. Winn genuinely laughed.

"Friends don't laugh at their friends embarrassment." She told him, muffled through her shirt.

"Best friends do." He shot back lightly.

~A~

Astra had been out all night. Technically she was spying on Non and consolidating the few aliens she knew was loyal to her and only her, surprisingly it was mostly the non-Kryptonians that had issues with her husband instead of her. The only Kryptonian she truly trusted was Europa.

Thinking about the blonde brought a smile to her face. Europa was an enigma. Astra had known her for so long now, meeting her only a year before they were all arrested and sent to Fort Roz. Back then the blonde had been a quiet, highly intelligent woman dissatisfied with her parents running her life. Astra had considered her to be more of an unruly teen rebelling against her family more than she had any asset in their revolution. It wasn't until after they arrived on Earth that she changed her mind. The woman had been serious about helping save their world, and she carried the guilt and pain the same as her General for their failure.

She pushed open her home door and flipped on the lights. She knew instantly someone else was there, she could hear the soft breathing coming from her bed room. She nearly growled, if Non was in her bed she was likely to kill him. She was already pissed that he was working behind her back to get at Kara. He seemed to think she was stupid.

She got closer to her door and pushed it open, a scathing remark poised on her tongue. It died at the sight.

There was blonde hair scattered about her bed, the woman she had only just been thinking about was resting on her stomach sprawled out over nearly the entire mattress. Her white sheet was spread over her lower back and buttocks but the rest of her creamy white skin was exposed.

Astra's mouth went dry at the sight, she had given Europa unprecedented access to her house but she never expected to find her naked and in her bed.

"Great Rao." She groaned and took a step towards the sleeping figure but just as quickly stopped herself. She clenched her fists at her side so hard her fingernails pierced her nearly impenetrable skin, it immediately healed but the sting reminded her to breath.

Europa stirred and moved like she was going to roll onto her back. Astra used her super speed and held the woman still with a hand pressed to her bare shoulder, Europa struggled at the sudden hold and only stopped when Astra whispered her name.

"Astra?"

"Do not roll over." She told her in a clipped, strained tone. Her restraint was only so much. She had long fought her attraction for the blonde, because she knew she harbored strong feelings, feelings Astra wasn't sure she wanted any part of. She didn't want to love again.

"What? Astra?"

"Your not dressed." Astra knew she was digging her fingernails into Europa's shoulder but she either did that or something she was afraid she might regret later.

"I took a shower, I was tired….are you okay? Did something happen?" Astra removed her hand from the woman's shoulder and blew out a breath of relief as she pulled the sheets up to her chest and moved to sit up on the bed. She was moderately covered but it left Astra wishing she had bought a different color, she took another few cautionary steps back. The blonde looked absolutely stunning in white, stunning and innocent. She bit her lip as hard as she could and recounted the human periodic table. It didn't help, she could still feel those blue eyes burning into her.

"Astra I-" The blonde had meant to apologize if she had overstepped her welcome, but she never got the words out. She could barely track the movement, one minute Astra was a few good feet away from her, eyes tight and breathing heavy and the next she was right in front of her.

Breath left her lungs as she waited for the woman to move. Astra's hands gripped at her bare shoulders again, flexed there once then twice. She let out a harsh breath, cursed and the next second she was pulling Europa towards her. She could feel the darker woman's breath on her lips and her mind begged her to cover the last bit, she couldn't do it for her. Astra had to be the first to move, she already knew how Europa felt. Even if all she was offering was a single night of sex her General knew she would accept.

She searched the impossibly dark eyes holding hers, tried to plead silently through her own.

Finally after what felt like an eternity of waiting Astra covered the last little bit separating them.

The first touch of her lips sent white hot desire shooting through Europa's body. She let the sheet fall away from her, not caring that it left her exposed as it pooled at her waist. She reached up and threaded her fingers through dark tresses and tried to pull Astra closer. Tried to deepen the kiss but it was just enough force to startled the woman and cause her to pull away.

A sobbed nearly ripped from her chest as Astra moved back, she didn't force Europa's hands from her hair but she moved her own and created enough distance between them for her to gather her thoughts again. "We can't do this." She told the blonde sternly, doing her best to keep her dark eyes leveled on the teared filled ones before her and not let them wander to the exposed skin bellow her collar.

Europa released her hold on her but quickly grasped a hand before she could fully pull away. She made no move to cover herself, instead she brought Astra's hand to her bare chest, refusing to let her pull away. "Feel that. It's yours. It's been yours since Krypton, Astra."

It took a minute for the Kryptonian to realize she was speaking about her heart. She could feel the quick 'thump' of the organ just bellow her palm. Europa held her hand there for a beat longer and Astra couldn't help but rake her nails against the flawless skin beneath her hand. Europa shivered involuntarily and she couldn't help but let her eyes wander down to where her hand rested and back up as blue eyes fluttered shut under her gentle scrapes.

"This…is a bad idea." Astra whispered. Still she found herself leaning in back toward the smaller woman.

Europa let go of Astra's hand and pushed strands of hair away from her face before framing her jaw with her hands. "Please, Astra. If one night is all you can give me. Please…"

For a moment she thought the dark, stubborn woman would give in to her obvious desire. Her breath caught, her eyes darkened even more. But she used the will power she was most famous for and pulled away. She reached down and pulled the sheets back up to Europa's chin.

She didn't shy away from the heartbroken blue eyes staring at her. Instead she reached out and stroked her flushed cheek.

"Not now, when this is over, when Non's treachery is dealt with. Then we will revisit this." She promised, her stomach churned at the hopefulness she saw behind the eyes staring out at her in muted shock. She didn't want to promise something she couldn't deliver. She wanted Europa, desired her, loved her even but she wasn't sure she could handle being in love again. Even after all these years she didn't want to risk her heart to the heartbreak that had led her to give up Kara. "Europa, I don't know if…..if I can do an honest relationship again. What I had with Kara's father…."

Small hands reached up and held hers. Europa's warmth seeped into her through their joined hands and she leaned forward and kissed them. "I don't want to replace him, Astra, I never did. I just want you to make room somewhere in there for me. Somewhere, in any way you can." Blue eyes turned slightly sad, still determined but they lost their hopeful shine. "Even if you never love me the way I love you. Please don't ask me to stop."

"Everyone I've ever loved has died, Europa." Astra said quietly, she bent her head and hid her expression behind her wild main of hair.

"Not everyone. Kara is still alive."

"She won't be for long if we don't do something about Non." The tone of her voice let Europa know Astra was done talking about love and romance. She was done being vulnerable an open. Now she was solely the General, or at the very least a mother ready to protect her child from anything.

"Then tell me what my General requires of me." She whispered softly, finally releasing her hold on the proud woman. She had hope now, hope that perhaps one day Astra could grow to love her as she did her. If nothing else at least she now knew the woman desired her. It gave her enough confidence and hope to do whatever she was asked. Because in the end she would make sure Astra was the one left standing, even if it meant she had to personally kill Non.

 **A/N; Not sure I'm very good at writing romantic scenes. At least not like I wanted to do Astra and Europa. This was the closest I could get to how I pictured it in my head. Hope it was worth the wait.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Two close updates so make sure you read the last chapter.**

Lena was perfectly punctual, Kara recognized her heart beat before she even boarded Cat's elevator and she fidgeted nervously with her glasses again. Cat stuck her head out the glass door and winked, it was exactly six twenty nine.

"She coming?" Kara nodded. Everyone else in the office left between five and five thirty, it was always just Cat and herself left after six. "I've never seen you so nervous, you like her." Cat smiled wryly.

"What? No I mean yes- I mean….Ms. Grant!" Kara couldn't help the whine that escaped her. She really didn't want to be teased and Lena was getting very close to their floor. "Relax Kara, she just wants to get to know you. She likes you, she thinks your funny and smart and she has done nothing but sing your praises anytime we talk." Kara felt the blood rush to her cheeks and sighed. Just because Lena Luthor enjoyed her company and working with her didn't mean she reciprocated her crush.

She was about to tell Cat so when the lift door dinged open, and Lena walked out in a fancy black dress that hung elegantly to her trim figure. Kara stared at her open mouthed until Cat tossed a pen at her head.

"Uh, Lena, hi." She wanted to slap her own forehead at the awkward greeting. "You look nice, beautiful even, gorgeous really…" Cat cleared her throat and shot Kara a knowing look. "I didn't, well should I go home and change…." Kara glanced down at her own tan slacks and blazer. She looked professional, no matter what Cat had to say about her poor taste in clothes, but she was definitely not up to par with what Lena was wearing. She would stand out if the woman was taking her to some ridiculous expensive reservation only restaurant.

"No Kara, your perfect the way you are. I had a working engagement that required formal wear and didn't want to be late." Lena smiled charmingly. "I had wanted to cook but…I thought maybe we could go to this place I heard about, it's….not very fancy but it has good food I hear, my secretary swore by it."

"As long as I won't embarrass you." Cat growled and turned her attention to a startled Lena. Her eyes practically dared the brunette to get her response wrong. For all the criticism Cat gave Kara she was positively fierce if someone hurt her feelings, ironic since she did so herself quiet often without really meaning too, she just hoped Kara knew she cared about her despite her criticisms.

"Kara you could shove chopsticks up both your nostrils and I would still find you positively endearing. You can't embarrass me, love. I might even join you."

Kara coughed at the image of Lena putting chop sticks up her nose. "I won't do that, I promise." She laughed, feeling a bit more at ease now. "At least not tonight." Lena smiled and Kara felt her heart do a little flip and flop. She was totally smitten with the woman and there wasn't anything she could do about. Still, even if it didn't come to anything she was enjoying the feeling, she had never liked anyone. Not even on Krypton.

"Have fun. Don't stay out too late, Kara, early morning you know." Cat called out heading toward her office and waving at them carelessly from over her shoulder. The glass door closed behind her and the two bemused women watched her scoop up a handful of M&Ms before going to sit back at her desk.

"Sometimes she sounds more like your mother than your boss." Lena commented lightly.

Kara's heart squeezed suddenly. She had been so nervous of the upcoming dinner with Lena that she had allowed herself to shelve her personal drama. It all came back on her with the word and she swallowed thickly.

"Kara?" Lena placed a hand on the girls shoulder. "Are you alright, did I say something?"

"No, no it's fine. Just family stuff." She sniffled and grabbed a tissue to dab at her eyes, she didn't want her mascara running and she didn't want to ruin dinner by crying.

"Perhaps you can tell me about it over dinner? Maybe I can help." Lena led her toward the elevator, Cats private one. The blonde glanced back but Cat waved her hand at her through the glass wall without even looking up, as if she knew Kara would seek her approval before getting on the express lift.

"Its alright, I don't want to bother you with my own stuff."

Lena surprised her by pulling her into her embrace as they waited for the elevator to open, she had to remember to allow herself to be moved she was so startled. "Honey that's what friends are for. Besides maybe talking about it with me will help. I have loads of family drama." She allowed Kara to pull away and smiled.

The blonde pulled away and stepped into the waiting elevator with the C.E.O. She took a moment to think about it, to think about whether she was willing to share part of herself with more than just Alex and realized maybe she was. Lena was right, if anyone could understand how painful family issues could be it was her, being the odd, likely only sane Luthor, could not have been easy.

"Thanks, Lena."

~K~

Lena hadn't lied. The restaurant wasn't anything fancy, in fact Kara often ordered their pot stickers as take out when she and Alex had sleepovers. They recognized her on sight and she blushed at the immediate rant of Chinese that followed. She knew Wong was yelling for more food to be cooked, he loved Kara she was his absolute favorite customer because she just ate so much. He always made sure he had her food fresh and hot and he never let her leave until she was full. She didn't think she wanted to eat so much in front of Lena though.

"I take it you visit here often?" Lena glanced at her with a raised eyebrow as the owner himself made his way over to them with a huge smile on his face.

"Kara! You come to eat in, you sit in family booth, I insist!" He grinned and ushered them to the table reserved for family only. Kara idly wondered why every Chinese place she had ever been in had a family only booth, she was usually invited to sit at those too she just didn't visit their restaurants as often as she did Wong's. "Come, come you sit here, you and your date." Kara blushed but neither woman said otherwise. "You food be right out. Hot and fresh I see to it myself." Just like that he was rushing back into the kitchen. Kara found herself blushing hotly under Lena's amused gaze.

"So….your practically family." She laughed.

"I just eat here a lot, me and my sister."

"Yes, well Jess did tell me it was the best Chinese food in town." Kara nodded in agreement. "Perhaps you will be willing to take me to your other favorite places sometime?"

"I-uh, yes I will…"

"It seems we have a few minutes to ourselves, he said he was cooking our food…."

Kara grimaced. "I can go tell him you want to order something, otherwise he is likely to come back with all my favorites."

Lena smiled pleasantly. "Then maybe I'll know what you like and can surprise you with lunch one day. It's fine. I'll eat anything Chinese."

Kara willed herself not to blush, she liked the idea of Lena surprising her with lunch at the office. It felt like something a girlfriend would do though, or Alex.

"I would like that." Kara told her sincerely.

Lena smiled brightly, Kara nearly groaned. She loved when Lena smiled. It lit up her entire face and made her eyes look just slightly less sad. Kara didn't know why Lena always looked a little sad all the time but she was pleased she was able to bring the busy C.E.O at least a little bit of joy.

"I'll be right back," Lena told her, "just going to the restroom before they bring out the food." Kara watched her walk off and swore that the woman added an extra sway to her hips as she walked off.

Kara stared after the brunette even after she had disappeared behind the swinging doors. She had to pull her attention away because she didn't want to be caught still staring when Lena came back out.

She nearly fell out of the chair when her eyes landed on the blonde from the gala sitting in Lena's vacated seat. She hadn't even heard her approach.

"You!" Europa smiled without any humor.

"So did you use the codes?" She asked, straight forward.

"Yes. And we figured out about myriad. And I also found out stuff about my family I wish I hadn't thanks to you." Kara growled. She knew she wasn't being fair, she couldn't blame the blonde for what Astra and Alura had done. But the blonde was the only person there.

"Family?" Europa stared at her blankly for a moment before realization flashed in her eyes. "Oh…my Rao. No….please tell me it's not what I think?" Kara wanted to lash out at her but it was very evident whatever she thought Kara had found out was causing her genuine stress. And the regret and pain reflected in her blue eyes would have been hard to fake.

"I found out General Astra was my mother." She confirmed, choking back emotions she wasn't about to share with a stranger. She fiddled with the forks on the table and was surprised when warm hands reached out and clasped hers tightly.

"A message? From Alura?"

Kara nodded. "To Astra. It didn't make sense. And then it did."

Europa flinched, that was not how Kara was supposed to find out, if she was ever to find out. And she couldn't imagine the pain the girl was in, finding out she was raised by her aunt and unable to find answers for the questions Europa knew would be burning in her heart.

"I am so sorry. That was not my intention…we just wanted to help, we….we don't agree with Non, he doesn't care about casualties any longer. But if I had known there was a message such as that…. I would have found another way."

Kara tried to take her hand back and glared at the blonde when she wouldn't release it. "Then I would just go on with my life not knowing she was my mother the whole time? Not knowing my whole life was a lie!? I cant- I dont-" She stopped talking and tilted her head down. She didn't know whether to be angry or just sad. She felt so helpless.

"Why did she give me up? She was around all the time….I don't understand."

"Kara I-"

"Oh hello." Both women glanced up sharply as Lena announced her arrival. A smile was firmly fixed to her face but even Europa could tell it was forced. The light brown eyes were fixed on their hands, where she was still clutching Kara's hands, and when she brought those eyes up to meet Europa's she didn't look too pleased.

The blonde let go immediately, she wondered about their relationship but she didn't want to anger the business woman and put any more pressure on her love's daughter. The girl was already having a hard time and she hadn't even been able to really explain anything in the short time Lena had been gone, they had gotten off track.

"Are you a friend of Kara's?" Lena asked pointedly as the Kryptonian moved to stand. She only spoke when it was clear Kara wasn't going to.

"I'm a friend of her Aunt's." That got a reaction from the girl. "She just asked that I stop in and check on her." Europa had a vague image of Astra murdering her when next she saw her but she desperately wanted Kara to know Astra wasn't aligned with Non, that she had Kara's best interests in mind.

"Astra?" She nodded but Kara's frown only deepened. "Non said…..he said she was dead. That they killed her because she looked like mom…."

Lena stayed silent as she watched to two beautiful women stare at each other in shock. She was acutely aware she had no idea what was going on and she could only imagine this was part of the reason Kara had been frowning that morning and spacing out.

"Dead?" Europa asked slowly, not really expecting Kara to confirm that was indeed what the bastard had said. "No. Kara she- Rao," Lena raised an eyebrow at the curse, it wasn't one she had heard before and she knew quite a lot of languages. "Astra is going to kill me, then Non I swear. She isn't dead Kara. I helped her look for you for years before she gave up. She only just discovered you were alive….she saw you on…." She trailed off, she had been covertly spying on the girl so she knew her new friend wasn't privy to her second life.

"But she didn't-" Kara's eyes widened and she gazed up at Europa with a mix of awe and sorrow. "I heard her singing….our lullaby….." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes again with a napkin.

"I'm sorry I've upset you so much," she glanced toward Lena, who was being patient and quiet even though she knew the woman was itching to ask so many questions, and likely dying to comfort the woman opposite them. "And I'm sorry I interrupted your date. I'll speak with her, Kara. She's afraid you'll hate her, blame her for the…." She didn't know what Kara called the destruction of their planet. What her story was for her dead family.

"Fire….please ask her. I want to see her. I….just want to see her. I want answers." Europa nodded and turned to leave. She nodded uncomfortably to Lena and tried to block out the sounds of her comforting Kara as she left. She had not meant to upset her, she felt like a heel. But at least she had been able to rectify Non's treachery. And perhaps maybe she could even get Astra to speak with her daughter.

~L~

Lena had climbed into Kara's booth instead of her own and wrapped her arms around the girls shoulders. "Some of the family drama you were telling me about?" She asked her gently when her silent tears stopped.

Kara nodded. "I just found out my aunt was actually my mother. And now I know she is alive. That she didn't die with…..everyone else."

"I'm sorry, it sounds overwhelming. If you would rather not have dinner I would understand." Lena pulled away but Kara grasped the sleeve of her shirt unconsciously.

"No….please j could use a little bit of normalcy and a good friend. Besides Wong is bringing the food out right now." Lena glanced up and was surprised to see the man was indeed now coming out of the kitchen, he was followed by at least two other waiters, one was holding more food and one had the drinks they hadn't even ordered yet. She turned back to Kara and laughed at the cheeky look on her face.

"Alright. If your sure?"

Kara nodded and Lena made her way back to her side just before they set the plates out. "I never say no to Mr. Wong's pot stickers." The man in question beamed proudly and they all shared a laugh as Kara's stomach chose that moment to growl loudly in agreement.

"Dig in ladies!"


	18. Chapter 18

Kara hadn't wanted the night to end. She vastly enjoyed Lena's company and though she wasn't a hundred percent sure but she thought this might be a date. If it was it was the best first date she had ever been on, even if she factored in her family drama and the unexpected visit.

"Uh….I know a bar if your interested." She told the woman as they walked back from the restaurant to her car. "It's nothing fancy but it has a pool table and the people are usually a lot of fun." She avoiding looking at her companion or she would have seen the brilliant smile that flashed across the brunette's face.

"A bar huh?" She teased. "Trying to get me drunk Ms. Danvers?"

Kara's eyes snapped to her. "What? N-no I….not at all I just…" She groaned and some of the panic faded from her blue eyes. "You're teasing me again." She accused.

Lena laughed. "Yes. I don't want to take you home just yet either." Kara felt flutters in her stomach at the declaration and swallowed thickly. "Just let me call a driver to take us home from the bar and we will be set." Kara shot her a curious glance as they climbed into the car. Lena started the engine and smiled over at her as she buckled. "I don't drink and drive. Not even a sip." She explained.

"I could drive." Kara said softly.

"Hmmm….but then I'd be the only one drinking." Lena flashed her another smile and pulled out of the parking lot. Kara blushed. She had forgotten Lena didn't know alcohol had no affect on her. "Kara I need the name of this awesome bar of yours."

"Right." She told her the name of the bar Alex had just told her about. She had gone once with her and enjoyed the atmosphere. It hadn't been too crowded and she knew for a fact some of the patrons were aliens like herself. A thought crossed her mind and she grimaced. "Uh, Lena I have to tell you it's an alien bar…if that's a problem…" She trailed off. She knew if it was a problem then their _friendship_ or whatever it was wouldn't last very long. She may have had to hide who she truly was but she wouldn't be with someone who wasn't capable of accepting all of her when she did choose to share her secret.

"Aliens? Like space kind?" Kara nodded. "Its not a problem. I've been to one before outside of town. If I remember correctly though we have to be careful what they serve us. Some of the alien liquor is toxic to humans."

"Yeah." They rode in silence for a few more minutes. Kara enjoyed all the city lights, she flew so often now she didn't get to enjoy them like she used to. Lena was focusing on driving and not getting them lost, although she was sure Kara would let her know if she was going the wrong way.

Lena glanced over and smiled at Kara, she looked so relaxed and happy. Lena enjoyed keeping her on her toes but she felt incredibly privileged that the woman felt comfortable enough in her presence to relax. "So how did you find an alien bar? I just can't see you stumbling on it during a bar hop."

Kara chuckled. "My sister. Truthfully I've only been there once with her but it was nice. I don't usually go out to bars." She admitted. "Staying home for game night or a nice café is more my style."

"Game night?"

"Yeah we try to have a get together once a week, or at least once every two weeks if it's been crazy. Most of the time it's my sister and my friends but occasionally Alex and me will chill out on the couch and watch a movie."

Lena nodded thoughtfully and filed the information away for later. She wondered what she would have to do to get invited to one of these get togethers.

"Oh it's a left up here. Parking is kind of crazy so I figured we could park here and walk the last block. It's a safer neighborhood too if your plan on leaving your car."

Lena nodded and pulled into an over night parking lot. She spoke to the security guard on shift and let him know someone else would be coming to collect her car in the morning. Kara laughed after they drove through at his awe struck face " I think he thought you were a movie star or something."

"I have been on the news a lot lately. For the company and the charity." Lena sighed softly. She pulled into a spot and they both climbed out.

"Does it bother you?" Kara reached out and grasped Lena's arm, she didn't like the look of a few of the men milling about.

Lena accepted her hold and placed her own hand over Kara's own as they walked. It wasn't an overly romantic gesture, more like best friends or sisterly but she would take what she could get.

"I don't mind. Publicity is doing good for the company and the charity after all but you wouldn't believe the mail I get from people. And not all of the attention is welcome." She grimaced as she remembered a particularly nasty letter from someone who didn't care she was more than her last name, someone who assumed she would be just like Lex and wanted Superman or Supergirl to take care of her. Permanently.

Kara frowned. "That must be rather hard." She was well known too but she had the added benefit of a secret identity. She felt a little sorry for people like Lena, people who couldn't always evade the spot light with a pair of glasses and a hairband.

"It wasn't like this before Lex….but then I'm the only sane Luthor left." She gave Kara a pained smile.

"I'm sorry." Kara said softly. "I- I can't imagine how you feel about all of that."

"It's better now. People are taking me more seriously as my own person and not just a Luthor."

"Its right here." Kara told her, pulling her arm slightly down into a dark alley. Lena raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "Renaming the company probably helped."

"Yes. New name, new image, new direction." She breathed out softly when the small bar came into view. It wasn't that Lena thought Kara was out to get her but she had learned a long time ago to be wary of dark alleys. Bad people usually waited in them, her brother and mother the first to come to mind. She knew they had tried to take her out on many occasions since she took over Luther corporation, she had learned to be careful.

Kara led her inside and then released her hold on her arm. Lena felt a little bereft without it but figured it was for the better. She wanted to date Kara but they hadn't known each other very long. She had a feeling if she came on too terribly strong she would run the girl off. Unfortunately she couldn't always control the flirting but that didn't mean she had to be clingy as well.

"I'll grab us drinks if you want to grab a table." Kara told her, tilting her head toward a table in the corner. The bar was busy enough it made sense but Kara had ulterior motives, she didn't want Lena to know she was ordering alien alcohol. She wasn't getting anything that would kill a human, in case the brunette accidentally took a sip, but she did want something that would get her buzzed. Unfortunately her alcohol of choice would knock a human on their ass.

She watched Lena make her way around the pool table and shot a glare at a man who had the gall to check the brunette's ass out as she walked by. He caught her gaze and raised his hands in surrender. She glared at him for a few seconds longer just for good measure before she approached the bar.

"What can I get you?" She smiled politely at the cute bartender and named off her poison of choice, she got Lena a new fruity drink they had just brought to the menu and hoped the other woman liked it. She scolded herself for not asking.

The man passed her the drinks and eyed her critically. "This is an alien alcohol, you know that right. It's not toxic but even a sip of this will…." Kara waved him off.

"Not human," She dismissed easily. No point in lying, he knew what she ordered and when she wasn't passed out on the floor after the first sip he would know she wasn't human. She carried the drinks over and watched Lena take a quick sip of hers before she nodded approvingly.

"It's good. Thank you." Kara breathed out a sigh of relief and sat down. She wasn't sure how the night was going to end but she was glad she decided to come out with Lena.

~A~A~

It had become tedious and annoying to deal with Non. She has wanted to watch Kara, she knew Europa was going to speak with her again so it made her temper short that Non had called a meeting with her at the last moment.

Lately she had noticed his shifty behavior, she knew he and Indigo were planning something behind her back. Knew he was consolidating those loyal to him just like she was. But to what end she couldn't be sure.

He claimed he loved her, it had never changed and he had perpetually been loyal to her, even if not faithful. She didn't care about the later but if his loyalties were changing it was a dangerous situation for herself and Europa. Even for Kara.

Her daughter was strong but not even she could face the army Kryptons Non would have at his disposal.

She walked back into the prison that had houses them the few years before the destruction of their planet, followed the hallow metal paths back to Non's main base. The place where he made all his decisions and directed their soldiers.

The men at the doors moved aside as she entered, she paid them no mind. Just as she paid the blue woman hanging all over her husband no mind.

"Ah, my lovely wife." Non stepped gracefully away from Indigo and grasped her hand as he led her to the circular table. He was smart enough to relinquish his hold as soon as she touched the controls.

"What was this meeting called for?" She asked shortly.

Non hesitated to speak. Indigo sidled around the consoles and shot him an amused glance. It irked Astra. She knew eventually she would have to put the woman in her place, or she would have to give them all up and choose another side. Something that was becoming more and more appealing to her as days went by. If she knew what side job Non had going she would have already gone to Kara's side. She couldn't go to the humans law empty handed though, not if she wanted to remain free. If she wanted Europa to remain free.

Her heart squeezed at the thought of the woman. It was another thing she was going to have to figure out her next move on. Her loyalties to Non were fading fast in light of his attachment to the blue bimbo. Her feelings for the woman were strong, surpassing anything she had ever felt with her husband. Fear was the only thing holding her back now. Fear of loss, of being hurt again. Of having someone she loved killed.

"We think it's time you do something about the super bee." Indigo told her smartly. Her red lips spread wide in a feral grin. Her eyes calculating and daring Astra to say something otherwise. To loose face in sight of all those present.

Astra's eyes narrowed. "You think it's time do you?"

The men around shifted nervously on their feet. Even Non stared at her apprehensively. "Yes, the little brat is getting in our way and because you have a soft spot for her your not willing to do what is necessary for our cause."

Astra nodded her head and began a slow trek around the room toward her. "Mhm…I see. And you know so much about our little problem do you?"

"I know she's your niece." Indigo told her triumphantly.

"Yes. She is. And family is important to me. Should be important to all of us considering our world is dead and we have no one else. Considering we are all the family we have, trapped on this primitive world as we are." She said in the nicest tone she could muster. "Now what else do you know of my dear niece?"

Indigo faltered. She knew what Non told her. She knew what she could find on the planet's web. So far as she knew the girl was just like Superman, day job at a news agency and a night life of fighting crime. She hadn't really looked much deeper and she hadn't really paid much attention to the girl, her time being spent perfecting hers and Non's plan to take over the entire world instead of just a small part of it.

"Do you know she works with a government agency that specializes in neutralizing aliens. You know they have seen your kind before, likely have a way to kill you. They have the pods Superman and Kara were sent to Earth in with data on all the aliens locked up on Fort Roz. Taking out my niece may be an easy thing, love, but it will bring more attention down on us. May even bring Superman's attention back to us, they are cousins after all. In a few days when our plans are more stable, when we have everything we need it won't matter what kind of attention we bring down on ourselves. But until then you will do as I say when I say,"

She was now standing directly in front of the woman, her eyes promising retribution if she acted on her ill thoughts. Astra didn't really give a damn if she believed her flimsy excuse. If any of them believed it. If they lay a single hand on Kara they would die by her hand, as long as they believed that her child was safe. It was when they no longer cared, when they saw Astra herself as a threat to their goals that the woman must act. Until then she couldn't have discourse in her house. At least not blatantly. "And if you don't, I'll rip that pretty little head of yours off your body."

Indigo glanced around nervously. She knew she couldn't take on Astra in an outright fight. The woman was too strong, and despite her skills her powers didn't rest in fighting hand to hand. Not to mention the Kryptonians in the room would be of no use to her, not even Non would outright go against Astra. For all his schemes he planned in the shadows out of her sight. He still hoped to kill the girl without Astra's knowledge of his interference.

"You will not jeopardized all I have worked for." Astra turned away from her and fixed her husband with a glare. "Is this drivel all I was called for?"

"No, the guard we kept contained has broken free. The men in charge of him were killed during his escape. It would not be too worrisome but he may have over heard some of our plans. If this government group finds him our very location could be discovered."

"Rao…." She rubbed her temples in irritation. "Send out the tracker and a few of our soldiers. Track him down." She brushed past him towards the exit. "And next time, dear husband, start with the important shit."

She left as quick as possible, shoving people aside in irritation and barking out orders as she went. The fact that the guard escaped greatly disturbed her plans. Especially since that particular guard had always shown unnecessary attention to Europa. He had been friends with the woman's father and he had made it quiet clear during their containment that he thought the girl was a scourge on her family name and would have loved to execute her for the shame she had brought their name.

She hoped his escape wouldn't motivate him to try and finish her now.

~N~

Once Non and Indigo were alone again in the control room he turned to her, a frown fixed on his face.

"She has no intention of taking out that child. Not even if she destroyed everything you have worked for. She is the one who will destroy our chances at putting these humans in their proper place." Indigo told him, running her hands over the front of his shirt as she moved lithely around him.

"I can't go against her. We don't have enough support. Even a few of those who claimed to be loyal to me I'm not sure of."

Indigo scoffed angrily and moved away. "Your afraid of her."

He turned around angrily to face her. "You should be to. You have no idea what Astra is capable of. Why do you think no one questions her openly. Even without super powers she could take out half our people."

Indigo stared at the console, her mind racing, before a large smile broke out across her face.

"So perhaps we even the odds. Take away her powers but keep yours." She tapped the blue cartridge on the console desk.

"I won't hurt my wife. Not even for you."

She growled and shoved him into the desk. "No, because you're her obedient little slave. That's why your plotting to kill her niece and take over the world behind her back."

"When all this is over she will realize I was right."

"And what, kiss you like some kind of loving wife. If you hadn't killed her lover she wouldn't even be with you." Indigo snarled. He shoved her away so hard her back slammed into the metal wall. She laughed mockingly at him as he fumed out of the room. "Must have killed you, lover, knowing that she had a child that wasn't yours. Knowing she loved your brother enough to birth his bastard."

He paused but didn't turn back. Indigo knew a lot but she didn't know Kara was that brat. If she did she may have been more inclined to listen to him. He debated telling her. Possibly putting a little bit of fear into that thick skull of hers.

In the end he doubted it would make a difference, would probably give the woman reason to act more brashly than she already was. He wasn't ready for so much attention being drawn on him, not until he solidified his position amongst there people.

"We go after the girl when I say. In secret. I will be the one to end her, is that clear." Indigo laughed. "Astra must never know. It has to be done right."

He wanted to be alive to enjoy her defeat after all, and he wanted Astra's unwavering attention back on him. He couldn't stand to share her affections with anyone, he already got so little of it as it was. Which was why the blonde was going to have to go to. Setting the guard free was a good start. He just hoped the bastard was quick and smart enough to take her out with Astra not around. Then again if she killed him after he served his purpose it saved him a bit of trouble. Win all the way around.

~E~

 _Her harsh breaths sounded as loud to her own ears as her booted steps on the cold marbled floors. She was running down maze like corridors in what felt like circles as she followed her commanders instructions to her Target's bedroom. The longer it took her the less time she had and she was starting to doubt his directions. The rooms she was passing didn't look like the rooms of the members of an elite house, they looked suspiciously like the employee housing. Housing that would be as far from the members own rooms as was architecturally possible._

 _She skidded to a stop and turned around in a small circle, curses flowing from her mouth._

 _She had to get this right. It was important to her General. She was entrusted with the task, a task she knew was more important to General Astra than anything else they had ever done. She wasn't stupid, she knew she hadn't been given it because of her loyalty, which was already under constant scrutiny even though she was fiercely loyal to the woman even if not their cause. She was given the task because she was the only person the smuggler chosen for the job trusted. A Daxamite emissary on a mission of his own, a very similar mission. They were unlikely friends because of her own family and he knew her character well._

 _None of it would matter though if she didn't get there in time. She only had a two hour window and it was quickly closing._

" _Damn it!"_

" _Are you lost Miss?"" She spun around in surprise and her eyes rested wearily on a maid. She knew the woman recognized her, likely thought her part of the party, which she had actually been invited to. It meant her cover had been blown, when she pulled off what she was doing she would be questioned extensively and it would be a miracle if she wasn't found out. But being invited meant if she was found she could at least continue on in her mission, something she was grateful for now._

" _I was looking for Kara Zor-El…..her mother told me she was in her rooms and gave me instructions but I seem to have taken a wrong turn." She smiled and played the best lost damsel she could. The elderly woman nodded politely. Whether she believed her or not wasn't up for the woman to decide, Europa was the daughter of a General. Not one known for being kind either and he didn't care for people questioning his authority. Likely he wouldn't care for his daughter to be questioned by a lowly maid._

" _Perhaps I show you the way."_

" _That would be lovely." Europa told her. She wanted to run, walking was wasting time but she couldn't afford to arouse more suspicion._

 _She followed the woman quietly, she could tell she was wary of her but she honestly didn't care. She would pull rank if she had too, threaten, or even invoke her father's name but she wasn't going to fail the mission just because she had gotten lost._

" _It is down this hall, young Mistress's room is the fourth on the left but you may find her in the courtyard on the right if she is not there."_

 _Europa thanked her blindly and rushed by into the girls room. She couldn't remember what she was supposed to tell her, what excuse to have the girl come quietly with her but she was going to make something up. She couldn't have the child screaming and drawing unnecessary attention to them. But she didn't want to frighten her either._

 _She glanced around at the bland white furniture. Everything in the room was of the best and most expensive quality but there wasn't a lot of personality to the décor. It very much resembled her own room at her father's house. Krypton was very much into celebrating intelligence but the suppression of creativity was everywhere it seemed. Even in loving homes._

 _Idly she wondered if that was why the council hadn't been willing to accept any of the solutions to save their planet. Perhaps they were too stuck in the old ways and laws to appreciate thinking outside of the proverbial box…it was going to get them all killed._

 _All except little Kara…..if she could just do her damn job._

 _She made a quick search of the room before deciding Kara wasn't hiding anywhere and heading for the courtyard the maid had told her about._

 _It wasn't far. There was a beautiful blue door in front of her, she couldn't see beyond it but it was where the maid swore the little courtyard was so she pushed it open and stepped into the cold evening air._

 _The small area was beautiful, well lit with soft warm light and the lovely sound of falling water from the endless fountain in the middle._

 _She padded out on the stone walkway and caught a glimpse of a dark shadow moving away from her towards a dark red door in the corner._

 _She recognized the man. The way he walked and moved in the shadows. But she couldn't figure out why he would be there too, General Astra hadn't told her she sent anyone else to collect her niece._

 _She nearly called out to him but the soft sound of crying drew her attention. She could see feet under the fountain and moved toward it to peer under it._

 _Kara Zor-El sat curled up behind the flow of water. Tears ran from her eyes and terror echoed in their blue depths as she stared out at Europa._

" _A man tried to hurt me." She said in a whisper. "Is he gone?"_

 _The blonde turned back in surprise at the sound of the door slamming shut. She couldn't fathom what had happened. In any case it worked out in her favor, Kara would trust her enough for her to possibly get her away without some kind of scene._

" _He's gone. I won't let anyone hurt you." She held her hand out for her to take, the water soaked her sleeve but she waited patiently for Kara to gather her courage and move._

 _Kara reached up and clasped her hand….and then Europa's father walked through the dark red door._

She woke up in a cold sweat as the memory of that night flashed clear in her mind. She sat up and hung her bare feet off the side of her bed, resting them on the cold wooden floor to ground her. She ran her hands through her messy blonde hair before holding her head as the memories slowly faded.

She had failed that night. She hadn't been able to get Kara to her smuggler, the complication of her father made it impossible and the second Kara had told the man about the stranger that had chased her into the courtyard all bets were off. The El house was locked down and Kara was under constant surveillance.

To make matters worse her dignitary had gotten murdered, along with the men with him. It didn't take much effort for Alura to find out about Astra's plan to kidnap Kara. She used the death of the men to arrest their groups leaders, Non and Astra. Europa had no idea if it was their group that was responsible for their deaths, Astra had never allowed her people to kill before but it didn't matter. It was Astra against Alura and Alura was responsible for enforcing the law. And no matter how the people saw it the house of El was far greater than the dying house of In-Ze.

She sigh and pulled her thoughts away from the past. She couldn't change it, and even if they had been responsible for those deaths far more people had perished as a result of others negligence. Their entire world for starters. And from what they had learned from a few other stranded refugees the Daxamite home world had been destroyed too. Their ruling family dead.

Her betrothed with them.

"Deep thoughts Europa?"

She jerked her gaze up and saw Astra leaning in her door way. Her breath caught. She had searched for Astra after leaving Kara but couldn't find the woman anywhere. After their kiss she had decided to give the woman space, she had come to her own home in the city, a home Astra had never once stepped foot in.

"What are you doing here?"

"I can't be here?" Astra evaded smoothly.

"Astra." The older woman sighed and moved to take a seat beside Europa on the bed. Her quick steps echoing the beats of the blonde's heart.

"You weren't at home." She said simply. "I- I'm not used to you coming here. You're usually at home, at least for the night. But it's already after one and you hadn't come home." She didn't add that she was worried, that knowing the guard would likely be after her had sparked a fear in her she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Astra this is my home. My home. You bought the house in the desert. I just keep freeloading there." She laughed slightly.

"I," Astra trailed off. Unsure of what to say. Sometimes she didn't return to her home. But when she did there had always been the sign that Europa had stayed the night. Rumpled sheets on the bed, a wet shower or a discarded towel. When she had gotten home tonight there was no sign of the blonde. "I told you that you were welcome whenever. I meant it. I thought you might perhaps think I was upset about earlier, needing space?" Europa nodded. "I don't. I need you, you're the only one I trust right now. I can't afford to lose your trust."

"You haven't lost anything. I understand, Astra." The dark haired woman stared down at her hands. "There is something I have to tell you. I tried to find you earlier but…." Europa hesitated. "Look, Non told Kara you were dead." She grimaced at the anger that crossed her face. "I told her otherwise but….she knows Astra. She knows who you are, Alura left a message on the pod for you….our codes unlocked it…she wants to see you, she has questions only you can answer."

"Thank you. For letting her know I'm alive. No matter how she feels about me I don't want her to think I'm dead, that was…the hardest part of finding out she was alive, the fact that I thought she was dead and stopped looking." Astra said quietly. Her dark eyes searched the blue ones. "The minute I seek her out Non will know."

"She's your daughter, Astra. I don't want to over speak but it's getting to the point where you are going to have to chose. Non or Kara. He isn't stupid, he knows with Kara found where your heart lies."

Astra stayed quiet. She couldn't express how much she wanted to see Kara. She knew the minute she did Non would be on her. She knew he was following her daughter, knew he was spying on the girl but she hadn't been able to discern to what end. She had given him his orders and was relying on his past cowardice to keep him in line.

Indigo was complicating matters though. For all his dealings Non was a sneaky slippery little weasel that preferred manipulation to anything else. He rarely got his hands dirty. Planning was his specialty, she hoped that would keep him in line, or at least give her more time. But his secrecy wasn't instilling confidence.

"If you were me…"

"I'd side with Kara. Always. As it is I have no children, no husband….so I will always side with you." She reached out and squeezed Astra's hand. "You need to make a choice Astra."

"Non is up to something…if I go to Kara she will want me to help her 'protect' the city." Astra stood up and paced across the floor in front of the bed. "If I go to her Non will take it as a betrayal. The lines will be drawn, there won't be any going back. Not just for me, for you to. He has no questions about your loyalty. You have always made them clear."

Europa stood up and placed her hands on Astra's shoulders to stop the pacing. She was slimmer and slightly shorter than the woman before her. It made it easy for the brunette's arms to wrap around her waist. She pulled Europa close and rested her head on top of her hair. "Astra…" She knew her voice echoed the pain she felt. Astra pulled her close and pushed her away with the same breath but every time they got to a point she thought would break the cycle the woman bolted. Duty to her husband and penance for her dead love always won out. Granted they had never kissed before.

"Come with me. I can't let Non go through with this and there is nothing I want more than to talk to Kara."

"Then we should do it as soon as possible." She whispered into her neck, both desperate to be free and loving the arms around her.

"Tomorrow. Until then can we sleep, I'm exhausted." Europa pulled away.

"I only have one bed here, do you want me to go back to your place?" She thought it was a little odd than Astra had sought her out just because she wasn't at home. But she knew her General liked things in order and she had spent every night at the woman's home since she had built it, since Astra had extended the invitation.

Astra pulled away and tugged Europa back to her bed. The blonde hesitated. "Nothing but sleep Europa." She knew she wasn't being fair, knew Europa wasn't going to say no to her but she didn't want to be alone. She wanted her where she could lay eyes on her, especially with that guard on the loose.

"I can take the couch."

Astra turned back to her after pulling the disheveled comforter away. She hadn't let go of her hand. "Please. For tonight let me be Astra instead of a General, let me be needy and weak. Stay with me."

Europa's breath caught and her heart ended up in her throat. The Astra she had known would never allow anyone to see her this way. She was a General, stronger than even her husband. That she trusted her enough to ask it of her brought tears to her eyes. Astra may not have said the words but she loved her, somehow she loved her. Europa just hoped it was enough to give them a chance.

"Okay."

~N~

Non flew by hours later, having already checked Astra's home before coming to the blondes rarely used home. He flew outside the third story window and spied beyond it's walls to the two women wrapped up in each other's arms. His nostrils flared with his anger and his fists clenched at his side.

He had known there was more between them. Since the brat had spoiled his attempt at murdering his niece so many years ago. Since the bitch had turned herself in for Astra. He had known.

Non wasn't a man that enjoyed competition. He had killed his own brother, attempted to murder his niece, this whore wasn't going to escape his wrath. The wheels had already been set in motion. He was going to enjoy comforting his wife when she learned of her lovers death and one day she would realize he wasn't a man to cross. That he deserved all of her love and affections…..that he demanded them.


	19. Chapter 19

Kara groaned as something heavy hit her chest. Her eyes opened to the blinding sunlight and she blinked up at her irritated sister curiously. "Alex? What are you…." She trailed off and followed the dark brown eyes to the opposite side of her bed. Her breath caught as her own landed on the long haired beauty sleeping peacefully beside her.

She forgot about Alex for a moment, her gaze sweeping over every inch she could see of the woman. She had no idea what had happened, she knew nothing sexual had happened because Lena was still wearing that amazing dress and she was still wearing her work clothes from the day before. She wished she hadn't drank so much, hadn't let Lena talk her into another glass of the alien alcohol but she knew if she hadn't she wouldn't have been privileged to see such a glorious sight first thing in the morning.

Alex cleared her throat pointedly. Kara grimaced and drug her eyes reluctantly away and focused on her sibling. "I'm sure I can explain….uh…when my memory comes back." She grimaced at the scowl that crossed Alex's strong features. "Let's go in there," She pointed to her living room. "I don't want to disturb her."

"Its after nine you know, you're late," She held up a hand to stop Kara's immediate panicked reaction, "Cat isn't mad she called me this morning because you were texting her crazy things last night."

Kara snatched her phone and glasses off the bedside table and followed Alex into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She smiled gratefully as she took the cup Alex had apparently fixed her.

"Have a hangover?" Kara shook her head and Alex scoffed in annoyance. "If your gonna get plastered you should at least have to deal with the hangover afterwards." Kara smiled slightly. "And I never in a million years thought I would open your bedroom door and find you cuddled up with Lena Luthor."

Kara grimaced at the way she said her name. Realizing what Alex was so annoyed about. "I like her Alex. She is nice."

"She's a Luthor, "Alex hissed. " I knew Cat had you working with her but... you're…well you. Kara…."

Kara took a calm sip of her coffee trying to digest the anger she felt rolling around in her stomach at her sisters words. Lena was a Luthor and Lex Luthor had done a lot of bad things to a lot of innocent people. He had been Kal's best friend and then he had betrayed him for reasons Kara wasn't privileged to. But that didn't mean Lena was going to turn out like him, so far she had only tried to do good. And no matter what anyone told her she wasn't going to change her opinion about her unless Lena gave her a reason too.

"She is my…friend." She wondered if she hesitated over the word because they hadn't known each other long or because she wanted more than friendship.

"Friends don't sleep together." Alex told her.

"We didn't sleep together like that," Kara blushed to the roots of her blonde tangled hair. "I think we just had too much to drink and somehow ended up staying at my place." She wondered how they ended up here, she knew Lena had a driver that was supposed to collect them from the bar she was sure he would have driven Lena home.

"Right…" Alex clearly didn't believe her or maybe there was something else upsetting her, Kara didn't get the chance to ask she could hear Lena stirring in the bed and knew it would be a matter of seconds before the woman came in search of her. She probably didn't remember any more than Kara. "I hope you didn't tell her about….you know."

Kara glared at her over the rim of her cup. "I don't run around telling everyone, I know it's dangerous and I _can_ keep a secret." Alex snorted and turned around to fill another cup from the coffee pot. Kara turned as she heard her bedroom door open and a confused Lena Luthor walked hesitantly toward them.

"Um….Kara?"

Kara smiled kindly. "I think we drank too much last night."

Lena rolled her eyes but couldn't stop her own smile. Trust Kara to state the obvious. Her smile slipped as she spotted Alex behind her. "Um….hi." Lena looked unsure of the tall agent, she wasn't intimidated by the glare but she did feel a bit uneasy by it. She had enjoyed flirting with Kara but she hadn't asked the woman if she were single. If this woman was Kara's girlfriend that was a whole can of worms she didn't want to be involved in. Still…she didn't think Kara would have let her do all the flirting if there was someone waiting at home. Kara was the type to be upfront.

"You want the coffee or not?" Alex raised an eyebrow and Lena quickly realized she had been holding a mug out toward her. She didn't miss the glare Kara shot the woman at the snappy tone.

"Sorry, hangover."

Alex smirked but instead of answering pushed creamer and sugar toward her. Lena ignored it.

Kara kept bouncing her eyes back and forth between them guiltily making Lena's stomach burn and roll in protest. She took a polite sip of the coffee, bitter and black, before she schooled her features and spoke.

"Right….nothing happened last night, I mean we are still wearing the clothes we had on yesterday." Kara was nodding, but she was facing Lena as if reassuring her instead of the furious looking girlfriend. "I mean if I had known Kara had a girlfriend I probably wouldn't have let myself drink so-"

"Hold up!" Alex turned her dark eyes back to the blonde. "Since when did you have a girlfriend?"

Kara opened and closed her mouth a few times, glanced back toward Lena and blushed furiously. "The blonde wasn't my girlfriend or anything….I mean I don't have one….."

"Blonde? What blonde?" Alex was remembering the description of the woman that had given them the codes and her eyes widened. She was careful of what she said because she couldn't reveal Kara's identity to Lena Luthor, of all people. Something she was still a bit peeved over.

"I….can we talk about that later." Kara smiled gratefully if not sadly when Alex huffed and walked off toward the living room. She waited until she heard the news playing on the TV to turn her attention back to the dark haired business woman, who was adorably trying to hide her blush behind her coffee. Lena wasn't quiet so confident first thing in the morning it seemed.

"I don't have a girlfriend Lena, the blonde was really just a friend of my….my aunt's." She couldn't call Astra her mother. Maybe not ever but definitely not until she heard her side and got her answers.

"I know that I was just…well she didn't seem to like seeing me here. And it's obvious I stayed…."Lena's browed furrowed. "I can't remember why though. Surely my driver would have…..why are you laughing?"

"Alex? You think….oh R- God that's funny….and gross." She calmed herself when she noticed Lena's glare. "She's my sister."

Lena's glare disappeared and her mouth formed and 'oh'. She lifted the drink once again to hide her surprise.

"I think she is mad she had to come check on me, she is usually busy in the morning. And we are both late…"

Lena raised an eyebrow. "Late? I own the company."

"Ugh but I don't. Cat is never going to let me forget this, I'm never late." That was because she was always early just in case she had to sneak off for an emergency.

"I suppose I better call my driver, and maybe he can shed some light on why I didn't seem to go home after our dinner."

Kara nodded and glanced toward her sister. "I better go see what's up with her. Then I'm gonna shower and get ready for work." Her eyes lingered on Lena's wrinkled dress. "Um…there is a spare bathroom if you want to shower too, I can loan u something to wear."

Lena hesitated. She wasn't sure Kara's clothes would fit her but she desperately wanted to shower. She nodded and moved back toward the bedroom, "I'm gonna call my driver, if I can find my phone." She muttered as she walked off.

"Just help yourself to anything you want in my closet."

Kara watched her go before turning back to face Alex. She supposed she should have been worried about Lena wandering around her apartment on her own but it felt a bit….domestic. And Kara could have swore Lena was jealous when she thought Alex was her girlfriend. She shuddered at the thought and sat beside her sister carefully.

"So…."

"It really was innocent Alex."

The brunette stared at her for a minute and sighed, running a hand through her hair. "But you like her."

"Yes…."

"And you want to be friends with her." Kara nodded, decided not to embellish all she wanted from Lena Luthor. "Kara….." Alex hesitated, glancing around to make sure the woman wasn't within ear shot. Kara could still hear her on her phone talking to her driver, a quick glance through the wall showed her rubbing her temple and sitting on Kara's bed. "I just don't know if it's the best idea. I mean the history-"

"Is between my cousin and her brother. It has nothing to do with us. Even Kal decided to give her a chance, Alex."

"Alright fine, but when shit blows up don't come running to me." Kara narrowed her eyes, Alex didn't actually mean that, she knew her sister was always there when she needed her.

"What has you so stressed, it's not just Lena."

"Lucy's dad brought the robot they want you to fight. He just….he looks too confident and it's getting on my nerves. You know how he is, he won't call it off if something goes wrong and you get hurt but he will pitch a bitch fit if you break his new toy."

"It might be nice to let off a little steam and not have to worry about wrecking anything in the process." Kara admitted.

Alex nodded thoughtfully but it didn't erase the worried look she had in her eyes as she stared at her sister. "Just be careful Kara. I have a bad feeling."


End file.
